Why isnt american football(not football/soccer)at the 2008 beijing olympics???

Question

soccer n basketball are in the olympics...

watz the deal with football???

Answer 1

Because it is not played by enough countries to qualify...

Outside the USA there is the CFL... The NFL Europe disbanded after the 2007 season... There are small league in Germany (German Football League), Switzerland, Sweden, Japan (X-League), Mexico, Israel, and the United Kingdom(British American Football League), but a lot of the players are Americans who weren't good enough to play in the NFL...

International Federation of American Football is the governing body for American football with 45 member associations from North and South America, Europe, Asia and Oceania...

The goals of the IFAF are:

    * To be part of the international sporting community

    * Admission into the General Association of International Sports Federation

    * Acceptance by the IOC

    * Participation in the World Games and Olympic Games

Someday, you will see American Football in the Olympic Games, but it may be in another 40 years...

Answer 2

because they didnt want to confuse the americans with more then one sport being called football ; )

mostly because american football isnt popular in most countrys and it wouldnt be worth the funding for to put together a team.

Answer 3

For the most part the answers you are getting are close to right.

A sport must be played for a championship in a minimum number of countries, on at least 3 continents.

However, football is more of a global sport than others are giving it credit for. Obviously US, and Canada play at a high level; but all over Europe American football leagues and teams are sprouting up. The best of which compete at about an NAIA level. Moreover, Japan, and other East-Asian nations are taking to the sport in decent numbers.

That being said, it would most likely be a winter sport if it ever made the olympics, and even then it would be at least another decade until it even made it as a trial sport.

Answer 4

cus really only US plays it. It would be hard to train the other people and it's not played around the world in matches.

Answer 5

When enough teams around the globe emerge at a comparable talent level with U.S. teams' skill, that would have potential. Unlike baseball and basketball, at present - and for the foreseeable future - that situation does not exist.

Answer 6

because no other country plays football its a us sport

Answer 7

it's not a universal sport. we are the only ones to play that game.  

Answer 8

Well obviously what everyone else said. Its not a national sport, although i didnt see anyone say rugby. Its in, most people opinon ,europes form of football. Soccer and basketball not even based on popularity are national.

Answer 9

probably because not every country plays football, football is an American thing, and almost every country has soccer and basketball thats my idea

Answer 10

the reason is because american football isnt a worldwide sport. soccer and basketball dominate in foreign countries but here its mainly football and basketball. football for most countries is rugby. the only countries that actually have football leagues are canada and USA

Answer 11

I don't think missing the pre-season to be in the olympics would go over to well. Plus, can you imagine the injuries if you played every day for a week?

And...

American football is primarily only played in the USA and Canada. No other countries have players, coaches, or the know how to actually play football. Now, explain to me why Rugby is not an Olympic sport? That's about as close to American football as you are going to get, but is played by multiple countries.

Answer 12

Are you seriously asking this question?

American football is not a sport that has mass worldwide appeal, with the exception of the Super Bwl.  At least, not at the level of soccer and basketball.  Moreso, who would the United States play?  Most other countries don't have American football teams.

Answer 13

football is mostly an american thing. plus, u cant play 5 football games a week like u could b-ball or soccer.  

Answer 14

The only countries that play it are us, somewhat in Brazil, and a little bit in the UK. Not to mention we would kick *** and win gold every single time.

Answer 15

Because American-type football is really just an American invention. We've tried to export it to other countries unsuccessfully and so it is not really competitive outside the US.

Answer 16

Just ask yourself, who is the U.S gonna compete with?

Answer 17

its not national

worldwide.

Answer 18

American football isnt played in every country of the world just in USA so its not in the Olympics where as Soccer and Basketball is played in most countries of the world.