[Alex3917]

> We use to follow the stories of the atheletes

The advent of the Internet made it much more widely known that the athletes are being badly exploited and forced to risk getting permanently injured or killed in order to make more money for the corporations that run the Olympics, so it no longer seems ethical to prop it up by paying attention. Especially since several do die each year while training.

Also the fact that they're getting rid of all the real sports in favor of events that have better TV ratings.

And also the fact that many of the events are so badly run that luck plays just as much a factor as talent in determining who wins. The whole thing is just meh.

[mym1990]

'Forced to risk'? High level training brings many inherent risks that the athletes are presented with, whether it is at the Olympics or at other international/national competition. Sponsorship has been a part of the Olympics for a long time, and not something that came about in the last 20 years.

I am not sure where you are getting your death rate statistics, but based on https://www.olympedia.org/lists/59/manual it does not look like 'several' die each year.

The Olympics have discontinued only a handful number of sports in both the winter and summer segments. I am not sure what you mean by a 'real' sport, but if anything the olympics are adding sports that have gained popularity over time.

And you boiling down the victories for Olympians down to 'luck' reeks of a schmuck that is on their couch being a keyboard warrior. There people train their whole lives, but I doubt you think of that.

[Alex3917]

That list is missing several very famous examples, e.g. Sarah Burke, so it's definitely not accurate.

> High level training brings many inherent risks that the athletes are presented with

In the sense that most swimmers eventually injure their shoulders, or most rowers eventually injure their lower backs, then sure. But the IOC is purposely making the sports more dangerous to make them more exciting, which is completely different than overuse injuries -- which often don't even have any consequences in every day life, beyond that the person can no longer do their sport at an elite level.

[dehrmann]

> athletes are being badly exploited

This is all high-level sports. You just get paid less for sports no one cares about.

[Ekaros]

Then again I see no reason why sports should pay specially well or at all unless people are willing to support it each year. Same goes for art.