Pole dancing: Olympic sport?
Posted by Brad at 11:11am Saturday, November 22, 2008
From NBCSports.com:
A pole dancing studio in Salt Lake City has become part of a worldwide movement to get pole dancing considered as an Olympic sport for the 2012 Games in London, KUTV reported Friday.
“It’s automatically assumed it has something to do with stripping,” said Lizz Schofield, owner of Studio Soiree in Sugar House, which is filled with floor-to-ceiling poles. “But it’s not stripping at all.”
[...]
Proponents of “pole fitness,” as it is referred to by some, has caught on in the U.S., Australia and the United Kingdom, Schofield told KUTV.
“This takes grace, fluidity and strength. It’s on par with ice skating and everything else in the Olympics,” said Lorinda Coombs, co-owner of Studio Soiree.
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If it were to become an Olympic sport, I can’t help but think that it could help increase viewership — at least amongst the male demographic.
On Nov 22, 2008, Brit' Gal Sarah said:
My bestfriend in the UK has done one of these pole fitness classes. She said she ached unbelivievably afterwards, as much from all the laughter as well as the workout!
On Nov 24, 2008, Karla said:
That really does take a lot of physical ability and coordination. There is a reason why pole dancers have great bodies I guess - it’s work!
On Nov 24, 2008, leggo the pole & read a book! said:
1. A petition of signatures will not get you an olympic sport. That is the most childish, inane, misinformed undertaking I’ve ever heard of in my life.
2. There are literally dozens of sports that are currently vying for inclusion into the next olympics — the 2020 olympics that is. The IOC does not wake up 2 days before the olympics start and decide what games to add.
3. A sport must be played in something like a few dozen countries for it to be considered by the IOC. Baseball was dropped recently because it doesn’t have enough world-wide participation. I suppose the pole dancers think their sport has more world infiltration than baseball?
This whole thing is laughable. Either these people are making fun of themselves, or they are woefully, woefully under-informed.