5 Worst Summer Olympic Sports to Participate in as a Child

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It’s time for the Summer Games. For a select few, that means it’s time to put years of hard work and determination to good use to try to win a medal for their home country. For most of us, however, it means it’s time to sit back and watch people far more athletic then ourselves participate in activities that we haven’t done since childhood — when our parents desperately tried to force us into different sports to see if we had any real ‘physical acumen.’ Pro-tip: We did not.

Here is a list of Olympic Sports most uncomfortable for small children: (more…)

Iraq’s Olympic Hopes: When Sports Mean More

The Olympic Games are just that, games–they can’t stop world hunger, find a cure for AIDS or put an end to war. But for a couple weeks they can make things seem a little brighter. This isn’t a new idea, it’s been reported on in the past and I’m sure it’ll be reported on in the future, but that doesn’t make it a tired topic.

Iraq has seen war, and little else, for the past six years. But come August 8, two Iraqi athletes may be just what the country needs to find a release from the hardships it faces.

Iraq is lucky to have any athletes competing in these summer games at all; in June the country’s national Olympic committee was suspended by the International Olympic Committee for what it called “political interference” by the Iraqi government. And with deadlines for the submission of athlete names for competition looming it seemed likely that no Iraqi athletes would be able to beat it. (more…)