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Fourth-Place Medal

Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:47 pm EDT

Common sense reigns as IOC ends worldwide torch relay

By Maggie Hendricks

The International Olympic Committee decided to end the globetrotting torch relay, discontinuing an event that began with the Athens Games in 2004 and was used again by the organizers of the Beijing Games this past August. For future games, the torch will only tour the country where the games are being hosted.

After the debacle that was the Beijing Olympics torch relay, this makes utmost sense. The picture above is from a stop in London on the torch relay's jaunt last summer. Does that pictures scream Olympic spirit to you? Does the Olympic motto of faster, higher, stronger pop into your mind when looking at that image? Me neither.

The torch relay's run through various countries did little to promote the Olympic ideals; in fact, it ended up trouncing on them. Instead of the world coming together to celebrate sports, which is what happened at the 2008 Olympics, the world came together to yell at each other during the torch relay. Cities had to devote their police forces to controlling the crowds, and for what? So Tom Cruise and Sylvester Stallone can get some publicity with the torch? Please.

The IOC doesn't always use the strongest common sense, but this is one of the times they hit the nail on the head. Making the torch relay an event for the host country only is the right thing to do. 

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349 Comments

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  1. RAIDERS FAN
    1. Posted by RAIDERS FAN Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    thats stupid
  2. RJ
    2. Posted by RJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:54 pm EDT

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    i agree
  3. Craig S
    3. Posted by Craig S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:04 pm EDT

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    I thought it was funny how much people disliked it. I don't want it to leave.
  4. Jeff C
    4. Posted by Jeff C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    dang it
  5. Alex
    5. Posted by Alex Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

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    Take one picture to prove your point.
    Im convinced!
  6. Speed R
    6. Posted by Speed R Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:27 pm EDT

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    It's stupid that there are people who wanna use the Olympics as a tool to spread hate and discontent. If you hate another countries agenda find another way to demonstrate DIRECT to that issue. Don't drag all the unneccessary stuff into it hoping to solve a problem or challenge.
  7. Jessica C
    7. Posted by Jessica C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:33 pm EDT

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    i was in sf when it came through last year, granted it was ridiculous but whose to say that will happen again...are we all going to want to protest canada?
  8. dae5
    8. Posted by dae5 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:34 pm EDT

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    Not until global world peace occurs will a global torch running be successful... and we all know when that will happen!
  9. Doug D
    9. Posted by Doug D Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:43 pm EDT

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    with its history of human rights violations. China should have never gotten the olympics in the first place. That is what the IOC really needs to change.
  10. bigboitrucker
    10. Posted by bigboitrucker Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    who give a damn anyway cause i dont about being first or the torch
  11. BOB
    11. Posted by BOB Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:01 pm EDT

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    Ya the china one was a big disaster
  12. Heather
    12. Posted by Heather Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

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    #18, i know...Never.
  13. Heather
    13. Posted by Heather Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

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    #18, i know...Never.
  14. Aaron
    14. Posted by Aaron Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:45 pm EDT

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    Um, those are Tibetan flags. The protests were not about hate, they were about strong disagreement with China's illegal occupation of Tibet, vis-a-vis international law. That is the context lacking from this story, but hardly suprising.
  15. Jimmy C
    15. Posted by Jimmy C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    17/ Chris... I agree to that
  16. doughnut70
    16. Posted by doughnut70 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:12 pm EDT

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    This is such garbage. You are not supposed to let people kill off something that is fun and enjoyable by terrorizing you. The protesters are no different than bullies on the school ground, but now because the IOC is chicken, they get their way.
  17. Johnny
    17. Posted by Johnny Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT

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    They should of got rid of it along time ago Hitler started the run with the torch.That was the same Olympic games that Hitler didnt shake jesse owens hand for winning gold. All it’s doing is creating more problems. Something less to worry about.
  18. film381
    18. Posted by film381 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:59 pm EDT

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    Hendricks wrote : "Making the torch relay an event for the host country only is the right thing to do. "
    My question is who died and left your opinion is right or wrong???? NOBODY! So from now on, if you believe something than say it is your opinion... I totally DO NOT agree with you. Like all the other "bloggers' yahoo, you are arrogant and spit venom of your choice. Do I expect you to change to my way of thinking? NOT A CHANCE! I don't even believe you will look introspectively and see where what you write here makes a huge imprint on the minds of many and you only harbor ill feelings. Yahoo has really turned ANTI-American... you hide behind this screen an spit out your negative remarks and know that you can't be touched and can just clik off comments like these. You are a dastardly COWARD... all of the Yahoo Bloggers!!!!!
  19. JB
    19. Posted by JB Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    Maybe all the outrage was because China had the Olympics, which is suppose to be something to bring everyone together, but yet continues to violate their own peoples human rights. Not to mention the conflict with Tibet.
  20. Cygnet
    20. Posted by Cygnet Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:12 pm EDT

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    I think it's a sad commentary on life, when people can't put aside political differences for the one WORLD event that is supposed to signify putting aside differences and getting along..So sad.
    I, for one, am sorry to see the torch go----it is supposed to be a symbol of people coming together, and instead has become a player in peoples' differences.
  21. col klink
    21. Posted by col klink Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:52 pm EDT

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    I know the feeling. I have carried a torch for Mandy Reynolds since first grade. I wonduh where she is now?
  22. James H
    22. Posted by James H Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:22 pm EDT

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    Why the HELL would they get rid of this?!
  23. Dakota
    23. Posted by Dakota Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:34 pm EDT

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    So you think the Olympics should be a tightly controlled event for the sake of appearing to be good sportsmen? God forbid becoming a platform for freedom of expression!
  24. neharohan
    24. Posted by neharohan Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:35 pm EDT

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    That is the most retarding thing i have ever heard. Meh.
  25. its me
    25. Posted by its me Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:53 pm EDT

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    next wish to santa is for some bloggers to be left without an internet connection.....

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