Inclusion in Olympics could be key to international growth of NFL

[Bruce Banner]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/article/2010-02-24/inclusion-olympics-could-be-key-international-growth-nfl

Every four years, Americans become enthralled with sports we routinely ignore during the two-week respite from reality known as the Olympics. But as the Winter and Summer Games continuously expand to include niche sports with cult followings at best, the ongoing omission of the greatest sport on the planet becomes more glaring.

Football. American football. The real football.

The Olympics won't be complete until the roster of events includes football. More importantly, football won't be able to completely saturate the world's consciousness until the Olympics embrace it.

As crazy as it sounds (my editor used that same phrase when green-lighting this column), football isn't as far away from becoming an Olympic sport as the casual observer might think. Reached for comment regarding the league's position on the matter, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello shared with me the comments of Tommy Wiking, president of the International Federation of American Football.

"One of the key objectives of IFAF is to achieve International Olympic Committee recognition and we plan to make a formal application to the IOC in 2011," Wiking said recently at Le Deux Magots in Paris.

"IOC recognition would be the first step towards proposing American football as an Olympic participation sport, but more immediately would benefit the more than 50 countries that are members of IFAF. Such recognition would open doors to funding, provide a route into many school curriculums and would further raise the profile of our sport internationally, which in turn would lead to growth."

The kicker? (Pun intended, weak as it may be.) Sports that want to be added to the Olympic program must propose both male and female participation. (This does not apply to established Olympic sports like boxing.) For American football to gain IOC recognition, it has to demonstrate that it's heading in the right direction regarding female participation. "IFAF has already increased the female presence within the game by mandating that women become more involved at board and committee level and by initiating the IFAF Women's World Championship that will be played in Sweden this summer," Wiking said.

There's another hurdle. To gain recognition, the sport must be played on every continent. Currently, American football has not yet infiltrated Africa. But efforts are being made to address that issue and all other potential obstacles, with the long-term goal being acceptance of American football as an Olympic sport.

The expanded presence of the NFL in other countries can only help the efforts to push American football to a level that makes it an attractive option for the Summer Games. Actual inclusion of football in the Olympics could be the tipping point toward widespread acceptance of football on a global basis.

To help guard against the inevitable, as the Nard Dog would put it, "Cornell-Hofstra slaughter" of every team that faces the USA, NFL players shouldn't be loaned to the Olympic effort — at least not until other countries could stay within 100 points of the best American football players in the world. At some point, however, introduction of a football "Dream Team" could provide the same catalyst for international growth of the sport as the original "Dream Team" did for basketball in 1992.

Other practical challenges remain. Currently, football players play one game per week; how could a full tournament be squeezed into only 14 days? But much of the action would likely be deferred to qualification rounds, with perhaps only the final eight teams heading to the Olympics, for a maximum output of three games in two weeks.

These and other issues could be resolved if/when American football makes it into the Olympics, where it belongs.

If the NFL is serious about making American football a truly global phenomenon, the 100-year plan surely includes the Olympics. And if the Olympics hope to continue to be regarded as a complete athletic competition, its 100-year plan surely includes American football, too.

Mike Florio writes and edits ProFootballTalk.com and is a regular contributor to Sporting News. Check out PFT for up-to-the minute NFL news.

[Bruce Banner]

I'm only posting this for laughs. Sort of the same reason why God allowed Mike Florio to be born.

[gsnts725]

easy gold for the U.S.

[Lil Bit Special]

easy gold for the U.S.

Canadians and the American Samoans will kick our ass.

[slats]

Sports that want to be added to the Olympic program must propose both male and female participation. (This does not apply to established Olympic sports like boxing.) For American football to gain IOC recognition, it has to demonstrate that it's heading in the right direction regarding female participation.

I believe that can be demonstrated.

[SMC]

I'm only posting this for laughs. Sort of the same reason why God allowed Mike Florio to be born.

LOL. That's what I was thinking as well.

His article and overall premise is flawed, false, and ridiculous.

American football is only popular in North America. That's it. His notion that the only continent American football is not played on is Africa is absurd.

Where in Asia is American football played? How about in South America? With the World League now defunct, who's playing American football in Europe?

This is America-ego-centric nonsense.

Yes, Americans love their football but no one else does.

Besides that, there's no way to play American football in the Olympics due to scheduling issues because (as the article mentions) the Olympics is only 2 weeks long.

[jetsfan_toronto_canada]

Canadians and the American Samoans will kick our ass.

I would think that if NFL players are not allowed (professional) this would also extend to the canadian born CFLers as well, which likely means...

US would still smoke Canada.

However - Samoa is another story entirely. They may very well be a gold favorite.

[jetsfan_toronto_canada]

Where in Asia is American football played? How about in South America? With the World League now defunct, who's playing American football in Europe?

Asia - Japan

Europe.. well, they had NFL europe so you know the germans love it.

South America - well, mexico would count - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_College_Football

I really don't think its that off base - this could happen, maybe not for 20 years - but wow this would be f-in cool!!!

[Vudu]

Who the hell is going to play? Only like 3 countries on the entire planet play football. SMH.

P.S. America Samoa cannot play the US since American Samoa is technically a part of the US. You can't have Americans playing against US citizens.

[Lil Bit Special]

I would think that if NFL players are not allowed (professional) this would also extend to the canadian born CFLers as well, which likely means...

US would still smoke Canada.

However - Samoa is another story entirely. They may very well be a gold favorite.

They would grant America Jr. an exemption.

[Lil Bit Special]

Who the hell is going to play? Only like 3 countries on the entire planet play football. SMH.

P.S. America Samoa cannot play the US since American Samoa is technically a part of the US. You can't have Americans playing against US citizens.

Puerto Rico participates separate from U.S.

http://www.slate.com/id/2105234/

But apparently the IOC considers insular areas sufficiently independent to participate in the games; the committee recognized the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1967, Guam in 1986, and American Samoa in 1987.

[SMC]

Asia - Japan

Europe.. well, they had NFL europe so you know the germans love it.

South America - well, mexico would count

I really don't think its that off base - this could happen, maybe not for 20 years - but wow this would be f-in cool!!!

Geography lesson.

Mexico is part of North America.

[jetsfan_toronto_canada]

Geography lesson.

Mexico is part of North America.

Sorry, I'm not a geography major - I was never that good a coloring maps.

But I guess you could count:

Guatemala, Panama, Argentina, and Uruguay as south america.

http://www.ifaf.info/countries/federation/1

[jetsfan_toronto_canada]

They would grant America Jr. an exemption.

Cool, then I guess we'll beat you???

No worries you guys will be used to it once team canada lights you up in the gold medal hockey game sunday.

[Lil Bit Special]

Cool, then I guess we'll beat you???

No worries you guys will be used to it once team canada lights you up in the gold medal hockey game sunday.

Of course you'll beat us. Americans dont have any national pride.

And you wont beat us Sunday for the gold.

We wont be in that game. But hey, enjoy winning the hockey gold. Means more to you guys than it does to us.

[jetsfan_toronto_canada]

Of course you'll beat us. Americans dont have any national pride.

And you wont beat us Sunday for the gold.

We wont be in that game. But hey, enjoy winning the hockey gold. Means more to you guys than it does to us.

you think the fins? No way - Miller will get you there. And sunday It will be a GREAT game, one to be remembered for the ages.

Obviously I'm aware it means peanuts to you guys, but canadians will jump off a bridge if we take home silver. Thanks for the confidence.

Funny about national pride - I was thinking you know, outside of the flames and oilers - all the Canadian teams have patriotic names like the canadians, canucks, and leafs. Then I started thinking of american teams named similarly and all I could come up with was the yankees...

Then my wife says "hey numbnuts what about your beloved patriots?"

Had to laugh, my most hated team in any sport didn't spring to mind at all.

Gap is closed.

[Jbro22]

Stupid.

[kelticwizard]

A Japanese high school team came over here a few years ago and beat one of our local high schools.

Still don't like the idea. I think the Olympics should be a four year extravaganza of Wide World Of Sports stuff-skiing, ice skating, barrel jumping etc.

By the way, did that ski jumper they keep on showing during "the agony of defeat" live?

[Jbro22]

Lacrosse should be in it.

[Lil Bit Special]

Lacrosse should be in it.

Indians would kick our ass and steal back their land.

[Bruce Banner]

LOL. That's what I was thinking as well.

His article and overall premise is flawed, false, and ridiculous.

American football is only popular in North America. That's it. His notion that the only continent American football is not played on is Africa is absurd.

Where in Asia is American football played? How about in South America? With the World League now defunct, who's playing American football in Europe?

This is America-ego-centric nonsense.

Yes, Americans love their football but no one else does.

Besides that, there's no way to play American football in the Olympics due to scheduling issues because (as the article mentions) the Olympics is only 2 weeks long.

Actually, lots of people play american football overseas. Have you ever been outside the US? Just driving through Europe you see people playing the game and all dressed up in helmets and shoulder pads.

I had a roommate once who was from Spain but grew up in Mexico. He played the sport in Mexico. A quick googling found a lot of evidence that it is played there. Seriously, you need to get out more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_College_Football

[Bruce Banner]

Who the hell is going to play? Only like 3 countries on the entire planet play football. SMH.

P.S. America Samoa cannot play the US since American Samoa is technically a part of the US. You can't have Americans playing against US citizens.

I will tell that to the Puerto Ricans at the next Olympics.

[StraightCash]

you think the fins? No way - Miller will get you there. And sunday It will be a GREAT game, one to be remembered for the ages.

Obviously I'm aware it means peanuts to you guys, but canadians will jump off a bridge if we take home silver. Thanks for the confidence.

Funny about national pride - I was thinking you know, outside of the flames and oilers - all the Canadian teams have patriotic names like the canadians, canucks, and leafs. Then I started thinking of american teams named similarly and all I could come up with was the yankees...

Then my wife says "hey numbnuts what about your beloved patriots?"

Had to laugh, my most hated team in any sport didn't spring to mind at all.

Gap is closed.

Hmm or there are the Bluejays and Raptors... or are Raptors a symbol of Canadian pride too?

If you want to play the Leaf card.. how about any professional American team named the Eagles?

[vanDoug]

Cool, then I guess we'll beat you???

No worries you guys will be used to it once team canada lights you up in the gold medal hockey game sunday.

I hope you're right but don't be so sure.

You watching the US right now in the semis?

They can score, are super fast and have maybe the best goalie.

As for international football, that would surprise me.

[Lil Bit Special]

Of course you'll beat us. Americans dont have any national pride.

And you wont beat us Sunday for the gold.

We wont be in that game. But hey, enjoy winning the hockey gold. Means more to you guys than it does to us.

And this is why i dont gamble on sports or try to make predicitions...

[SMC]

Actually, lots of people play american football overseas. Have you ever been outside the US? Just driving through Europe you see people playing the game and all dressed up in helmets and shoulder pads.

I had a roommate once who was from Spain but grew up in Mexico. He played the sport in Mexico. A quick googling found a lot of evidence that it is played there. Seriously, you need to get out more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_College_Football

Actually, I've traveled to England, Italy, and Japan, and lived in South Korea for over a year. But I do want to travel more.

I know football is played in Mexico, but Mexico is in North America (like I said before, where American football is played).

But, as Canada pointed out, there are token sites in South America where AF is played.

[Panzer Division Marduk]

Dumb idea.

But not remotely as dumb as having snooker, golf or ballroom dancing as Olympic sports.