Why are Olympic umpires calling the player's names instead of their nation's names?

sdont

Legend
Yes, I have, and I've never heard any umpires calling out scores during the medal ceremonies. All I hear are the national anthems of the gold medal winners and not their individual favorite songs being played. :)

You don't hear the athletes' names being called before they get on the podium?
 

woodrow1029

Hall of Fame
Yes, I have, and I've never heard any umpires calling out scores during the medal ceremonies. All I hear are the national anthems of the gold medal winners and not their individual favorite songs being played. :)

Gee, that's funny. I hear them play the national anthem of the winner at Roland Garros too. Does that mean that the umpires there should be calling the country name, and not the player's name as well?
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
Gee, that's funny. I hear them play the national anthem of the winner at Roland Garros too. Does that mean that the umpires there should be calling the country name, and not the player's name as well?
The Olympics is not the same as Roland Garros. If it were, the winner would get 2000 ATP points.
 

Chace

Hall of Fame
Who cares if the umpire calls out the players name or the country they are representing? I'm sure the fans/spectators can figure out that Murray is representing GBR, Fed Switzerland, Hewitt Australia, etc., plus they have those nice little flags on their clothes and country written next to their names. Great thread as usual BP.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
Who cares if the umpire calls out the players name or the country they are representing? I'm sure the fans/spectators can figure out that Murray is representing GBR, Fed Switzerland, Hewitt Australia, etc., plus they have those nice little flags on their clothes and country written next to their names. Great thread as usual BP.
Of course they can. Once again, calling out the nations' names is not for the benefit of the spectators or fans. It's for the benefit of the players to give them that special patriotic feeling of playing for their country that only comes from participating in the Olympics or the Davis Cup. Otherwise, it's just another minor tournament on the ATP calendar like any other with the players playing only for themselves and their bank accounts.
 
Of course they can. Once again, calling out the nations' names is not for the benefit of the spectators or fans. It's for the benefit of the players to give them that special patriotic feeling of playing for their country that only comes from participating in the Olympics or the Davis Cup. Otherwise, it's just another minor tournament on the ATP calendar like any other with the players playing only for themselves and their bank accounts.

Let us assume that you are right and calling the name of the respective country gives the players a boost.

What do you care?

You are not such a player, the fans are not such a player. I would presume, that the players have brains, so if they are so unhappy they will address the "issue".
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
Let us assume that you are right and calling the name of the respective country gives the players a boost.

What do you care?

You are not such a player, the fans are not such a player. I would presume, that the players have brains, so if they are so unhappy they will address the "issue".
I care because as a fan and spectator, the Davis Cup feels special to me. I know it does to the players as well because I've heard more than one player say that when the umpire calls their nation's name, such as - "Game, United States" or "Advantage, Serbia" - it gives the players goose bumps and makes the match so much more special because they are reminded constantly that they are playing for their country and not just for themselves, like they do every other week of the year.

By not calling the nations' names and calling the players' names instead, the Olympics don't feel special to me, as it should. By the umpire calling - "Game, Isner" or "Advantage, Tipsarevic", the players are instead constantly reminded that they are just playing for themselves as usual. It's more like any other tournament on the calendar. And that's a shame.
 
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