"The debate about Rory and the Olympics, however, refuses to wither."

I'm already sick of this debate and I'm not Irish, British or the least bit worried that Rory McIlroy will figure it out by 2016, but Oliver Brown delves into the question that continues to hound the PGA Champion: which country's bad uniforms will he wear in 2016?

It is regrettable that McIlroy should be facing such a dilemma, when his second major title at the US PGA is a cause for jubilation on both sides of the Irish border. And yet he is under pressure to declare his hand for the Rio Olympics because he is Catholic. His great friend and compatriot, Graeme McDowell, is spared the same predicament as a Protestant, since it is widely expected that he will compete for Britain.

But Northern Irish Catholics tend, as boxing medallists Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan showed at London 2012, to align themselves with the Republic. Representing Britain would, at one time, have been deemed perfidious, equivalent to backing a state that they perceived as oppressive.

Is Golf One Of The Sports Keeping Weed On WADA's Banned List?

In light of the judo Olympian expelled after innocently eating a marijuana brownie, Kate Kelland talks to scientists and others wondering why marijuana is banned by the World Anti Doping Agency when it seemingly would not help athletes in most sports.

But archery and golf were cited as reasons why it might be handy. Commissioner Mr. Rogers, of course, never believed in any kind of testing because no golfer would ever cheat. So glad he (was forced) to come around.

While it is generally accepted that cannabis is unlikely to give athletes any advantage in fast-paced sports, some experts say it could prove helpful in sports like shooting or golf where a steady hand is needed.

Under WADA's rules, athletes face a two-year ban if cannabis is found in their system while they are in competition.

But the anti-doping body does not sanction those who test positive for marijuana outside of competition times, while they are in training camps or during rest periods.

Scientists say this smacks of double standards and suggests WADA bans cannabis for political rather than scientific reasons.

"The problem is the elite athletes should be seen as role models for young kids, and so they ban cannabis because they don't want to have the image of gold medallists smoking joints," said one British-based sports scientist who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.

And Yet Another Clarification About The 2016 Olympic Golf Field Makeup

So today I noted Garry Smits's item pointing out that only a maximum of 4 players from one country inside the top 15 can make the Rio 2016 field of sixty competing for Olympic gold.

Earlier, Ryan Ballengee had listed the field if 2012 held a golf competition and eight Americans would have been in the field.

It turns out, I've learned both reports were correct.

Here's where the confusion lies: the current field makeup would have allowed for the 2012 field as outlined by Ballengee. But a pending change in the field structure, reportedly requested by the IOC to comply with their guidelines in similar fashion to the controversial Jordan Wieber situation that is causing so much heartache, will be enacted next year. This will then mean that inside the top 15 for the Olympic golf field, only four players from one country can make the Olympic field.

It will be very interesting come 2016 to see who gets eliminated by this IOC mandated change, but it's almost assuredly going to be controversial.

One More Olympic Golf Follow-Up: Field Size And Beds

Some have wondered why golf's 2016 return features (A) a dull format and (B) small fields of 60 players. The dullness of the format is the result of asking players for their input and maybe a shortage of foresight by the International Golf Federation, but the field size is directly a result of the IGF's shrewd political maneuvering with the International Olympic Committee worried about...beds.

Yes, the vaunted IOC would not like a larger Olympic golf field because they are worried about too many requests for Olympic Village housing. Fine, I get it, this is a big operation.

However, golf may be different. After all, does anyone think anyone in the current world top 15, used to high-end accommodations will stay in a glorified dorm room bunk bed in 2016?

1. Luke Donald – Great Britain
2. Tiger Woods – U.S.A.
3. Rory McIlroy – Great Britain OR Ireland
4. Lee Westwood – Great Britain
5. Webb Simpson – U.S.A.
6. Adam Scott – Australia
7. Bubba Watson – U.S.A.
8. Jason Dufner – U.S.A.
9. Matt Kuchar – U.S.A.
10. Justin Rose – Great Britain
11. Graeme McDowell – Great Britain OR Ireland
12. Zach Johnson – U.S.A.
13. Hunter Mahan – U.S.A.
14. Steve Stricker – U.S.A.
15. Ernie Els – South Africa

I'm guessing some of the bottom tier players and many of the women, who are more likely to embrace the Olympic spirit, will take up the coveted beds. But on the men's side it's hard to see anyone in the world top 100 choosing a dorm room over their normal luxury lodging.

Corrected: Only Top Four Top 15 Americans Would Have Made 2012 Olympic Golf

There is a catch in the Olympic qualifying that I forgot about when posting this item last week but which Garry Smits got right in a post updating the status of golf in the Olympics with a list of the men and women who would have qualified this year had London included golf.

The key takeaway that might surprise people: the top 15 in the world golf rankings qualify with no more than four players per nation. That means only four Americans would have made it even though there are eight in the top 15 (Tiger Woods, Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner).

In light of the controversy of world champion Jordyn Wieber not qualifying for the gymnastics all-around due to a similar rule only allowing a certain number of athletes from a country, I wonder if we are headed for a situation like it in 2016?

Leaving London 2012

After a quick vacation I took in the festivities in London 2012 and had a fantastic time. Despite the various boondoggles and controversies--of which there are many currently festering--the city is functioning well and the one event I was able to get into--beach volleyball--was absolutely fantastic, with an energetic crowd, stunning (temporary) venue and close matches.

Before boarding, a few quick thoughts:

- Golf is going to have to step it up to compete with the other sports for attention. Sadly, the current 72-hole stroke play format ensures it will get little attention and after watching the sensitive dynamics between teammates in beach volleyball and in other sports, we are completely blowing the Olympic opportunity by not showing the world that there is no more fascinating, intelligent, emotional, dramatic and beautifully awkward sport than golf when played with a teammate under Olympic pressure. So Tiger, since you helped influence this format, could you help influence its undoing now? Please?

- The empty seat fiasco, laid out beautifully by James Lawton in the Independent today, is as bad as you'd suspect. Tickets were difficult to get and for everyone here who tried and failed, or for visitors like me, it's insulting to see so many empty seats when you'd be willing to hand over good money to see an event. I'm less annoyed by the extensive dignitary seats going unfilled than I am by the large blocks in normal seating that went unsold. Most galling was turning on the BBC to see Caroline Wozniacki play at Wimbledon on a beautiful Saturday evening against a Great British athlete in front of maybe 1/3 the capacity of centre court, a session I tried to buy tickets for multiple times. Imagine how the residents who struck out must have felt.

-I will miss the papers terribly. The Guardian, Telegraph, Times, Independent and the tabloids are pulling out all the stops and while the coverage online is super and a must for your Olympic reading enjoyment, there is nothing like starting the day with a beautifully designed newspaper full of great writing and photography.

-The BBC here is remarkable. The coverage is extensive, easy to find and lacking many of the pomp that Americans seem to love and sports fans get annoyed with. But the jingoistic homerism really undoes their credibility, with the low point coming Sunday night by showing announcer reaction to a third place performance in women's swimming. NBC may be pro-American, but I don't think we'll ever see a replay of Dan Hicks and Rowdy Gaines rooting on someone to win a medal!

Cheers!

If London 2012 Had Included Golf...

The fields would have looked like this, according to Ryan Ballengee in a Golf News Net post.

The men, with a whopping eight Americans and reaching to 334th in the world, and the woman going all the way to 446. Now the seeding in the match pool play would b...oh sorry, there I go again.