Hey there,
I’m thinking about it, but feel free to stop me and add something:
Will I see the climbing events in the Olympics?
– Sure! I already love the Event and now even more so!
Would I like to participate?
– Most certainly!! Social recognition is a plague from which I’m also not free. Even without participating, I’ll be, in the eyes of others, a better sportsman. Just because some will now know it. Who knows, maybe in the future I can celebrate with my coworkers my first 8c and they will publish the accomplishment in the institution journal and family will call to congratulate me… ok, ok, I’ll stop here.
Am I so pleased to the point of not being upset by the eventual massification of my rock climbing spots?
– No, I am not! I’m not indifferent about climbing in silence in the nature or climbing in an “outdoor climbing gym”. If the latter was the norm I’m not sure if I would climb. And this is not just a wild guess. In 1993 I started surfing, it was a pleasure to find someone also surfing in my local beach, nowadays, the overcrowded beaches promote an aggressive competitiveness that I despise and think I lost the possibility of doing one of my favorite sports (as I like it) on a regular basis due to its massification.
Do I think the new money entering the sport will develop the sport that I love?
– No, I don’t. It will develop competitions, infrastructures and raise sponsorship – which I like – but it comes with a collateral damage for climbing in the nature – which I love.
Will climbers be better?
– Most possibly, yes!
Will the IFSC management and personnel benefit?
– I’m pretty sure! I infere this because, if this benefit would not be so straightforward I guess there would have been a call for opinions and a public discussion of the subject.
Do our best climbers deserve the recognition?
– Yes, I’m pretty confident that they are no better and no worst than all other athletes there (except for golf, of course). Ahaha
Will I became more skeptical about top performances?
– Yes! I’m not sure I’ll continue to give the benefit of the doubt to self-reports of ascents and climbing styles and doping.
What about the 2020 initiative from the IFSC: “Hey guys show some support for climbing in the Olympics!”?
– Before the politics, I would have appreciated to know the arguments of why this is important for us climbers? I would have appreciated to ear climbers who support giving their arguments, rather than showing a 2020 in their hands. Who knows, I might be convinced by them. The “let’s say yes approach” followed by a “YES” just feels short from what I know about mountain people.
(Work in progress – Let me know your thoughts if you agree/disagree or have something to add)
For another similar (more eloquent) take on the subject refer to: http://eveningsends.com/olympic-inglorious/
Climbing Thoughts 
Leave a comment