JUST when the chubby kids thought it was safe to venture outside, along comes a wicked incentive for them to stay on the couch.
In a move that will no doubt have anti-obesity lobbyists writhing with indigestion, the Chinese Government is entertaining the possibility of making video gaming a demonstration sport at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Now let's get this very clear: the terms "sport" and "video games" should never appear together in the same sentence, let alone at the planet's ultimate celebration of athletic prowess.

"Even at the moment there is a group of video gamers who are lobbying the Chinese Government to at least have video gaming as a demonstration sport at the Olympics," Dr Gulbin said on Wednesday night.

"So you never can predict. We may have Xboxers, PlayStations, Nintendo freaks who are now hoping to vie for Olympic medals in the future."

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Just 2 years to go, best get training!

that article was so frustrating to read. very much a "hahah, look at the stupid geeks trying to make what they do look like its on part with actual sport" god, he even used the term "vidiots".

its funny because the couch potatoes that spend hours apon hours infront of the TV make fun of the geeks who spend hours apon hours infront of the computer screen playing games.

what's frustrating about that
couch potatoes aren't anywhere near as sad as computer nerds

Worst piece of journalism EVER. That f***ing idiot deserves to be shot for writing that article.

^^ Well it is news.com.au

I'm very sure that a well exercised, well balanced individual will perform better at any given game given the same amount and type of practice.

I say this because gaming is a heavily mental activity. Using FPS's as an example, most of the crucial moments happen within miliseconds. Your brain and and the rest of your nervous system has to be performing at its best to shave off .05 of a second in reaction time. For your nervous system to function at its best you need excellent blood supply to the muscles and nerves. For excellent blood supply your cadio systems need to be well practiced and maintained to work contiously at optimum levels.

For alot of us who game at high levels, our addrenalin systems are activly working to produce and secrete addrenalin and noraddrenalin throughout the body, once again needing excellent blood supply throughout the body for best effects.

Our brain, were we could argue most of the 'gaming' takes palce, uses an aweful lot of nutriants, nutriants that we dont want whasted maintaining an underexercised, low efficiancy body.

In an FPS, aim is a highly important component of winning. It takes very fine, very quick and precise movement of the hand, in Counter-strike for example, the first shot counts, it really needs to be a hit. There are so many low level systems in play within the body for this to happen that it would be very difficult to specifically train them. Exercising the body would be an excellent way of increasing the efficiancy of all these facters.

So basically what I'm rambling about is that, sure professional gaming as it is dosnt require much in the way of exercise, however as prize money increases and motivation to win it also increases the lengths people will goto to get the 'edge' will increase. I whole hartidly belive that good exercise is very benifical to ones ability at gaming on so many levels.

Bring professional gaming futher into the main stream and watch as people who care exercise more to gain the edge, bringing gaming more inline with traditional sport.

tollazor, I don't believe a single word you just typed

I play alot of games but I think its retarded to have games at the olympics. The olympics is for sport, games are games. I dont see anything wrong with a high level of competitive professionalism and $$$ being involved in pro gaming but its not a sport and it never should be.

I play alot of games but I think its retarded to have games at the olympics. The olympics is for sport, games are games. I dont see anything wrong with a high level of competitive professionalism and $$$ being involved in pro gaming but its not a sport and it never should be.

What he said.

jim you didn't even read a word he just typed.

cool sig obes

i think there should be a separate olympics for computer (with a different name) and it could be divided into weight divisions

The olympics is are for sport, games are games

So why do they call them "The Olympic Games" huh? huh? huh?

jim is just a tv watching newbie. aren't ya? but you think your better than the geek.

i know most geeks know alot about computers. something that could and does help them in this field as a profession
gamers are constantly thinking in there games. with reflexes and all that jazz.
geeks are looked down apon because of a social stigma, because they are a minority. tv viewers think that watching tv for 6 hours after work till they sleep is "normal" and isn't "sad". tv viewers just sit there and allow themselves to be hypnotised by the tv. allowing there emotions to be swung around by a director. gamers on the other hand are actually involved in the game. and normally even on a social level too. tv viewers just sit there.

tv viewers are alot more sad than gamers. its just more accepted.

tollazor, I don't believe a single word you just typed

What about "well balanced individual".. did you beleive that?