Why are professionals allowed to be part of the Olympics?

Question

If , example, professional basketball players are allowed to compete,

why not let professionals in all sports compete?

Answer 1

that is part of the rules set up by each sport. Not the IOC.

they allowed international teams to have professional players so they could compete with the college players of the US.  The US held fast to using non-professional players until they started getting beat by the professional players around the world.  thus the door opened to the NBA players.

Answer 2

II can see your point. Look at all the familiar faces in the US basketball team and Yao Ming in the China team. It's totally unfair.

Answer 3

In my opinion, professionals should not be allowed. It's not fair.

Answer 4

such as what other sport????

thats because they are the best in that sport

Answer 5

So unfair, I know, but what you going to do about it?

Answer 6

They should let professionals in all sports compete. Otherwise, they can't really say that an olympic gold medal means that you are the best in the world for that sport. You are just the best out of all the people who aren't good enough to make money doing it.

I think that the IOC leaves the decision of whether or not to allow pros up to the international federation for each sport.

Usually, these federations will base their decision to allow pros based on how fair the playing field would be for all countries if pros were allowed to play.