The Mark Graham Sports Blog's posts tagged Summer Olympics

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• Greece Expels Track Star Over Racist Tweet

  July 25, 2012

  

  The Greek Olympic Team has expelled a member of its track team for a racist comment that she left on Twitter.

  Voula Papachristou tweeted on her Twitter account, @papaxristouji,the tweet translated into English, said, "With so many Africans in Greece... At least the West Nile mosquitoes will eat home made food!!!"

  Papachristou had been slated to compete in the triple jump in the London Olympics, but the Greek Olympic Committee has decided to expel her instead.

  According to the BBC, the Greek Olympic Committee said that Papachristou has been "placed outside the Olympic team for statements contrary to the values and ideas of the Olympic movement."

  Papachristou issued an apology today saying:

  I would like to express my heartfelt apologies for the unfortunate and tasteless joke I published on my personal Twitter account. I am very sorry and ashamed for the negative responses I triggered, since I never wanted to offend anyone, or to encroach human rights.

  My dream is connected to the Olympic Games and I could not possibly participate if I did not respect their values. Therefore, I could never believe in discrimination between human beings and races.

  I would like to apologize to all my friends and fellow athletes, who I may have insulted or shamed, the National Team, as well as the people and companies who support my athletic career. Finally, I would like to apologize to my coach and my family.

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• Mickey Rourke Claims He Beat Usain Bolt in Race

  July 24, 2012

  

  Its true that Usain Bolt may be struggling and in a bit of a slump. He's lost two in a row to compatriot Yohan Blake in Olympic Trials and avoided fans during an open training session in Birmingham, England.

  But this new allegation might be the worst of all.

  Actor Mickey Rourke claims that he beat Bolt in a drunken foot race outside a London nightclub at 4AM.

  Rourke, best known for his Oscar nominated role in "The Wrestler", insisted that he get a head start and that he beat Bolt, in his own words, by a few inches.

  Rourke also claims that there were a few spectators at the impromptu 30 meter race. How many of them even remember the night, let alone the event, will never really be known.

  I'm not saying that The Ram couldn't beat Usain Bolt in a race, but I think I speak for everyone when I say we need to see a rematch and this time it ought to be televised.

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• David Beckham Photobombs Fans

  July 24, 2012

  

  At the adidas Take the Stage event in London's Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, 60 people were posing for some fun photos with friends and family inside the adidas photo booth when they were welcomed by a big surprise.

  British soccer superstar David Beckham poked his head through the door of each group posing for photos. Needless to say the fans were shocked and delighted.

  Beckham told the Reuters new service, "We have been here since early this morning. Adidas have installed a photo booth here and we have had fans and people coming in and taking pictures and giving the GB team a bit of hype and support. I have kind of been popping my head in, surprising people, seeing their reactions and jumping in and taking pictures with them so it's been a good morning, it's been fun."

  A very nice gesture by Beckham and adidas just prior to what is expected to be a big fortnight or so for London.

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• LeBron Unveils Team USA Throwbacks on Twitter

  July 22, 2012

  

  LeBron James announced and unveiled on Twitter today that Team USA will wear throwback jerseys from 1992 for tonight's game against Argentina.

  LeBron tweeted on his Twitter page, @KingJames, "Throwback uni's for tonight's game #USA92 #hyperelite2012"

  This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Dream Team and their complete domination of the participants of the Barcelona Games.

  The uni's look pretty sharp and hopefully they harness the same kind of magic that the 1992 Dream Team had.

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• Bob Costas Takes A Stand and Defies the Mighty IOC

  July 22, 2012

  

  This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Munich tragedy in which 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were taken hostage and later killed. You'd think that the IOC would do something to tribute the murdered athletes.

  They aren't.

  The IOC rejected the deputy foreign minister of Israel's request for a simple moment of silence at the Opening Ceremonies. The minister made the request on the behalf of two widows of the murder victims.

  However, one man will not stay silent on this matter. Or should I say, will stay silent.

  NBC's Bob Costas will have his own moment of silence on NBC's telecast of the Opening Ceremony as the Israeli athletes enter Olympic Stadium. Costas told The Hollywood Reporter, "I intend to note that the IOC denied the request. Many people find that denial more than puzzling but insensitive. Here's a minute of silence right now."

  More broadcasters need to be like Bob Costas and stand up for what is right and less like the others trying to coin a catchphrase and become a celebrity.

  Costas is among the last of a dying breed of sports broadcasting. In a world where reporting takes a backseat to asinine catchphrases, Costas is doing what reporters should do, good old fashioned reporting. I know it seems crazy, right?

  Thank you, Bob Costas for taking a stand and giving the Israelis a much needed moment of silence. The IOC should be ashamed of themselves.

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• London Eye To Change Colors Based on Fans Mood

  July 22, 2012

  

  The London Eye will serve an interesting role in the Olympics as it will change colors based upon the moods of Olympic fans.

  EDF Energy, a London based energy supplier, has developed an "Energy of the Nation" initiative that will light up the world renowned London Eye based upon Twitter users feelings about the Olympics that day.

  The people at EDF and MIT grads developed an algorithm that will convert "real-time social emotions into colour and motion-tweets to light show."

  The algorithm, known as Sentistrength, will pick up on positive and negative words and can also detect non-words like LOL and OMG. Emoticons and punctuation will also be considered.

  So, Twitter users, you now have a chance to illuminate a world famous structure by using LOLZ and an absurd amount of exclamation marks.

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• Athlete Without a Country to Compete At London Games

  July 21, 2012

  

  A former member of a Sudanese child labor camp will now achieve his dream and will compete at the Olympic Games.

  Guor Marial used to hide in caves and work in a child labor camp. He fled his country and arrived in the United States and has been cleared by the IOC to compete despite not having a passport or official country.

  The marathon runner will compete at the London Olympics under the Olympic flag.

  Marial, 28, was born in what is now the newly independent country of South Sudan. South Sudan doesn't not have an Olympic body as of yet. Marial was a marathon runner at Iowa State University and qualified for the Olympics in his first ever marathon last year.

  "The voice of South Sudan has been heard," Marial said. "The South Sudan has finally got a spot in the world community. Even though I will not carry their flag in this Olympic Games, the country itself is there. The dream has come true. The hope of South Sudan is alive."

  Marial is a permanent resident of the United States, but does not have official citizenship yet. The IOC decided to give him a shot anyway after he didn't qualify under US or Sudanese rules.

  He said that he didn't want to compete for the Sudan team because he had lost 28 family members to violence or disease during the civil conflict that tore the Sudan apart.

  Marial took up running as a chance to survive. He and another child ran away from the labor camp that he was forced to work at. They would hide in caves at night and start running at dawn following the sun's path.

  Marial said in a recent interview, "I used to hate running. I was running back home to save my life."

  Marial used to run for his life and now he is running for pride and honor. Good luck, Guor.

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