# Amateur sport



## highjinx (27 August 2012)

I wonder what the Olympics would be like if it was still only open to amateur competitor as it used to be?
Would the standard still be as high as it is today.


----------



## TarrSteps (27 August 2012)

Define 'amateur'.


----------



## Miss L Toe (27 August 2012)

highjinx said:



			I wonder what the Olympics would be like if it was still only open to amateur competitor as it used to be?
Would the standard still be as high as it is today.
		
Click to expand...

Obviously not, and neither would there be the research into the scientific side of things [current development is driven by demand from racing people, as this is a mega industry]
No real amateurs in racing any more except a few military races. Amateur riders usually work pretty much full time for a trainer, if top class thay may turn professional.
Tennis.. how many top class county players even think about Wimbledon these days. How many amateurs qualifiy for Open Golf Championships.
Even track athletes who do comparativley little training don't work day to day, they have to focus on their sport.
Paralympian dressage riders could be part time, but to be honest even they find it difficult to compete with Lee Pearson who has quite a lot of internal financial support, and does not work at all , as far as one knows, so is amateur but without the normal constraints!
You could say eventers are amateurs in that the prizemoney is not funding their horses. It is more likely they are funded by the horses they sell.


----------



## highjinx (27 August 2012)

amateur as in not sponsored (i remember Harvey Smith not being able to compete as he was sponsored) and not making a living from there sport, and going back further you couldnt pay for some one to train you if you did you were classed as professional.


----------



## Miss L Toe (27 August 2012)

And in horses was there not something about not accepting any reward for winning any jumping under BSJA?
I assume OP meant the old fashoned amateur, ie the kind who use to play tennis as a diversion from  house parties, or boating on the river. 
Each sport now has its own defenition of amateur, for example in racing, an amateur has to take out an amateur licence, and he will probably work at a yard doing all stable duties as well as riding in amateur races.


----------



## Nollaig Shona (27 August 2012)

TarrSteps said:



			Define 'amateur'.
		
Click to expand...

Someone who doesn't earn a living from the sport, either from prize money, sponsorship or running a yard of some description.

It's a very grey area in equestrian sport, since it's practically impossible to compete at a high level without earning a living from it.


----------



## TarrSteps (27 August 2012)

It's different in different counties, too.  In North America to be eligible for Amateur classes riders must not derive ANY income from horses, so no teaching, riding for others etc.  I was a bit surprised here that the definition for SJ was merely where the rider is on the money list.

To be fair, the original Olympics were not for amateurs at all.  Even in the Modern Olympics riding has often been the province of either people in the military or well off enough to have horses and take the time to train.  Things changed a lot after 1972 and then again in the 90s in all sports, riding included. Technically all the riders now ARE still amateurs as they do not derive the bulk of their income from prize money, but from teaching, selling horses, sponsorship in kind, family support etc.  Horses win the money, not riders, so it's the owners that "earn" it. The fact that it is almost impossible to win enough to have it be a primary source of income is just convenient. 

We have a family joke that instead of the current system we should to "lottery" Olympics.  A year before each contest letters are sent out randomly to elligible people, telling them which sport they will compete in. .


----------



## Honeylight (30 August 2012)

My Dad couldn't take part in athletics in the Olympics or Commonwealth as he had run for cash, in handicaps during & after the war. Previously he had won things like cutlery & furniture! Still have some of it. 
Certainly a lot of show jumping riders who were horse dealers/breakers or had ridden as professional jockeys were excluded in the 1950s & 60s.


----------



## FMM (30 August 2012)

It was always a problem as some countries decided that they would ensure their best sportsmen and women remained amateur, by providing them with free housing, free food etc etc - all without having to declare it.  Cheating
So it was easier to remove most of the restrictions.  And, to be honest, the Olympics is about the best of the best.  Not about who is wealthy enough to afford the sport they want to do, not have to work and remain an amateur.


----------

