After the Solomonic Solution which rewarded a Japanese gymnast who fell so very nicely, we have the ticklish question of ‘making a bone fide effort’ while participating, which led to the disqualification of some badminton players earlier in the Games.
An Algerian runner, Taoufik Makhloufi, dropped out after the first bend of the 800 m. showing no sign of injury (he didn’t limp/ shout/hold/rub/grimace/writhe) but displayed only a distinct lack of interest. He was duly disqualified from taking further part in the Games. Later he claimed a medic had confirmed he had a knee problem and he was reinstated. The next day he had ‘recovered’ sufficiently to win the gold medal in the 1500 m. at a canter.
Should he be allowed to keep his medal? I don’t think so. On the other hand, who can prove that the man did or didn’t suffer sudden pain in his knee and wished to save himself for the 1500 m final? Would somebody please give King solomon a call?
Boadicea's Chariot 
Meanwhile the gold for the name of the games is closely contested by Kis, Jurkowski and…. Grabarz.
Môre Janus
I don’t have a problem with anyone withdrawing from the heats, it’s not as if they are denying another athlete an opportunity, it wouldn’t however be ‘fair’ (Olympic spirit an’ all that) in the semis and finals.
I’ve however been mulling over another theory, only one event per competitor! Yep, boxers, weightlifters, high-jumpers only have one bash at gold why not limit the runners, swimmers, etc. (and dare I add cyclists?) to only a single entry, that would certainly help to spread a little of the Olympic spirit around 🙂
By the way, Caster today (11.35 London time)
Another little difficulty for some 😉
Janus, I read that Makhloufi was obligated to race in the 800m after Algeria had failed to withdraw him before Sunday’s deadline, he having won one of Sunday’s 1500m semi-finals. Well they wouldn’t have withdrawn him from the 800 heats BEFORE the outcome of the 1500 semi-finals. Looks like they burnt the candle from both ends. The ‘sick-note’ looks like a red herring. There is definitely a fishy smell to this – the commentators seemed aghast when he had won the final. OK – Solomon’s judgment says the gold medal should be inscribed with the words from the medical note!
Wait for OZ’s Olympic Rant – Coming to a blog near you soon.
OZ
As I said in my recent post about the Olympics, we saw the guy pull out of the Mens’ 800m. It looked suspicious at the time, and even more so now. If he had entered for both distances then he should have run in both, and it would have been sensible to disqualify him from both. If he was better at 1500m, why did he not just enter that?