[Hersfold]

Hello, IDU Nations.

I have visited your region before, almost always to request aid on a UN Proposal. Yet again, I come to you for that same reason.

Some of the older members of the UN may remember my previous attempt at this particular proposal, Olympic Games. The idea caught tremendous support, reaching quorum unusually quickly, but then died in flames at the hands of the moderators, who once again made up rules as they went, declaring that resolutions could not affect events on the NS Forums.

Due to the massive support this did recieve both pre- and post-death, I am reviving this idea in a more legal format. Please, I ask you to review this draft, and offer any suggestions you may have. I hope to submit this soon, hopefully with the approval of the mod who ended this proposal's life those several months ago...

Quote: THE NATIONSTATES UNITED NATIONS, in order to increase international well-being and athletic competition, shall hereby resolve in the creation of a semi-annual Olympic Games.

The Olympic Games (hereinafter referred to as "Games") shall be held every two years, alternating between Summer and Winter Games in such a way that two consecutive Games of the same season are spaced four years apart. Each Summer and Winter Games shall comprise of events representative of those seasons. In each, the sports shall be officiated according to the rules laid down by their respective international organizations.

The Games shall be hosted each year in a location that has not previously held the Games within the past four years. The Games shall be open to athletes from any UN Member Nation.

The winning competitor(s) of each event shall be awarded with a Gold Medal, bearing a design representative of both the ideals of the Games and the heritage of the location in which the Games are hosted. The second place competitor(s) shall be awarded a Silver Medal of the same design, an the third place competitor(s) shall be awarded a Bronze Medal of the same design. Each medal design shall be unique to that Games.

These Games are to promote international well-being and sportsmanship. Before competing, athletes are to swear by this creed:

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well."

Any athlete found cheating, either by violating the rules or by use of performance-enhancing substances, shall be disqualified and stripped of their earned medals and any set records. Any athlete found missing any required drug testing must take another, or be disqualified.

To oversee the organization of these Games, the NSUN shall mandate the creation of an International Olympic Committee, whose duties shall include, but may not be limited to:

- Choosing the host location
- Choosing the medal design
- Choosing events to be played
- Organizing registration and qualification procedures
- Ensuring the fair and proper administration of these events
- Ensuring that all athletes maintain their creed and adhere to the rules of the Games at all times
- Providing adequate competition facilities, housing, security, transportation, training facilities, and neccessary anemities for the athletes participating, as well as their coaches and staff.

These Games shall be funded as needed by willful donations by the host location and participating nations. [/quote]

Text in bold has been added according to suggestions below or elsewhere.

[Groot Gouda]

I like the idea of Olympic games. Just a few questions:

Why semi-annual? In "real life", the whole special thing about the olympics is that they're every 4 years. Being olympic champion for half a year doesn't count, so athletes will choose to go to other tournaments instead of the Olympics.

Also, you're specifying things that I think shouldn't be in the UN resolution, but left to the committee. Like how many nations (or athletes) can join, or what happens to the winner.

So a fine idea, but it needs a lot of tuning IMO.

[Adam Island]

Why make this a UN proposal? Why not just start a thread in the NationStates forum and get people signed up that way? NS could use an olypmics organized by a dedicated member.

[Hersfold]

Groot Gouda Why semi-annual? In "real life", the whole special thing about the olympics is that they're every 4 years. Being olympic champion for half a year doesn't count, so athletes will choose to go to other tournaments instead of the Olympics.[/quote]

This point came up last time, but then it had a very easy answer. In RL time, the game itself hasn't even been around three years, so running the games every four (every two, really, since Summer and Winter are staggered) simply seemed to be too long of a time in between. But since this isn't actually running a "real" games this time, unlike the last proposal attempted to do, I suppose the time could be set back to the traditional standard, assuming as always that one RL day = one NS year. I'll fix that.

Quote: Also, you're specifying things that I think shouldn't be in the UN resolution, but left to the committee. Like how many nations (or athletes) can join, or what happens to the winner.[/quote]

Again, that was partially left over from the first attempt. I'll change the thing about how many people can participate, leaving that to the committee, but as for the winner... I personally think that should be left specified, simply because it makes it clear that the tradition of Gold/Silver/Bronze will be upheld. Those medals just seem to add a certain nostalgia to the games, and if I leave it out, then I'm going to get a TON of questions. I think for right now I'll leave the medals where they are.

Adam Island Why make this a UN proposal? Why not just start a thread in the NationStates forum and get people signed up that way? NS could use an olypmics organized by a dedicated member. [/quote]

:unsure: Well... you could actually call this the third attempt at an Olympic Games... After the first proposal got killed and the appeal was closed, I thought "screw this, I'll do it anyway," held elections on the NS forums to choose members for the IOC, and attempted to begin. Things started out ok... but then it all died. I think we all realized at once the HUGE undertaking that would have been, and that it would be just too much work, even for seven people. And then there was the issue of moderation. We had placed in the rules that any god-modding or inappropriateness would result in disqualification, but with 200 people posting in the same topic, things will get out of hand, and there's only so much the mods will put up with, no matter how much you're trying to keep it under control.

In short, it would be disaster. I use the old IOC forum now to experiment with Admin functions on Invisionfree, and to host images on when I can't remember tinypic.com. Plus, if I DO write a proposal about it, someone with actual experience in doing this kind of thing will run one anyway, I'm sure.

[Tycholand]

Add something about HOW athletes get into the Games: does avery nation send athletes, or do they have to qualify?

[Hersfold]

That would be up to the committee to decide. The current draft does specify "registration and qualification procedures", but it doesn't specifiy what those should be. Probably best to leave that blank for right now.

[Adam Island]

Well even if it passes you'll still have to organize everything in the forums, like the Red Cross is now.

[Hersfold]

True. But passing this sets some basic guidelines, and just makes it more "official".

[Hersfold]

Ok... comments about additions to the proposal have pretty much stopped... I'm going to go ahead and send this one to the mods, and if they approve it, and I still have no comments, I will submit it the next day.

Thanks to all for your help.

[Groot Gouda]

could you post the next version here after sending it to the mods?

[Hersfold]

(Sorry, forgot to log in)

Of course. We're just trying to work out the right category now - nothing else will change unless it just doesn't fit.

And it has Hack's approval.

[Hersfold]

(Sorry, forgot to log in again...)

After waiting for a response from Hack about which category to use for several days, I just decided to go along with his original suggestion, figuring that if he suggested it, there's no way I can possibly get nailed for it.

Here's the final submission draft:

Olympic Games Free Trade (Mild)THE NATIONSTATES UNITED NATIONS, in order to increase international well-being and athletic competition, shall hereby resolve in the creation of an Olympic Games.

The Olympic Games (hereinafter referred to as "Games") shall be held every two years, alternating between Summer and Winter Games in such a way as that two consecutive Games of the same season are four years apart. Each Summer and Winter Games shall comprise of events representative of those seasons. In each, the sports shall be officiated according to the rules laid down by their respective international organizations.

The Games shall be hosted each year in a location that has not previously held the Games within the past four years. The Games shall be open to athletes from any UN Member Nation.

The winning competitor(s) of each event shall be awarded with a Gold Medal, bearing a design representative of both the ideals of the Games and the heritage of the location in which the Games are hosted. The second place competitor(s) shall be awarded a Silver Medal of the same design, an the third place competitor(s) shall be awarded a Bronze Medal of the same design. Each medal design shall be unique to that Games.

These Games are to promote international well-being and sportsmanship. Before competing, athletes are to swear by this creed:

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well."

Any athlete found cheating, either by violating the rules or by use of performance-enhancing substances, shall be disqualified and stripped of their earned medals and any set records. Any athlete found missing any required drug testing must take another, or be disqualified.

To oversee the organization of these Games, the NSUN shall mandate the creation of an International Olympic Committee, whose duties shall include, but may not be limited to:

- Choosing the host location
- Choosing the medal design
- Choosing events to be played
- Organizing registration and qualification procedures
- Ensuring the fair and proper administration of these events
- Ensuring that all athletes maintain their creed and adhere to the rules of the Games at all times
- Providing adequate competition facilities, housing, security, transportation, training facilities, and neccessary anemities for the athletes participating, as well as their coaches and staff.

These Games shall be funded as needed by willful donations by the host location and participating nations.[/quote]

[Groot Gouda]

Although I'm still not entirely sure that we need a resolution like this, I see that you have incorporated most (if not all) of our suggestions, and the idea behind is is laudable.

If it comes up for vote, I'll be likely to support it.

[Grosseschnauzer]

Endorsement lodged.

[Hersfold (again)]

Groot GoudaSep 6 2005, 08:06 AM Although I'm still not entirely sure that we need a resolution like this, I see that you have incorporated most (if not all) of our suggestions, and the idea behind is is laudable.

If it comes up for vote, I'll be likely to support it. [/quote]
Quote: Endorsement lodged.[/quote]

Thankee both.

[Sober Thought]

Excellent. As I said to Hersfold previously, a well organized and written UN proposal -- even if it represents and idea that is perhaps neutral or even disagreeable -- is worth voting on. It's certainly better than some of the poorly written, poorly thought out and poorly typed stuff we've seen before. :angry: