right I'm going to brave the tv stations web sites - if we can lift the Oly-whites profile it'll make it harder for NZOC to prevent us from taking our place in BEJING!!
I still don't get it. Why would the NZOC decision makers deny us a place in the most popular Olympic comp???

I blame the Telferites...
It's a matter of money. The NZOC has very little money compared to other olympic committees and it's hard to justify sending an athlete(s) that won't be competitive. Belive me, they hate to do it but they sometimes HAVE to.
It�s not a financial decision, it�s one of credibility. But in team sports, by qualifying you have shown that you are better than however many other teams in the world. Individula sports are different, you can meet the qualifying standard but that might be so low as to be almost meaningless (as we�ve witnessed with several african swimmers etc). They must be allowed to go, it would be as big a disgrace as the Fijian Visa fiasco if the didn�t. I fully support tigers idea about beginning the pressurising now, letters to the ed, get the journos onside and they won�t have a choice. Public opinion can easily sway them, make it an issues and the ollywhites a cause!
Have you ever spoken to a member of the Olympic committee on the subject? If the money was avaliable they would send everyone that qualifies. The object of the Olympics is participation, rather than the popular misconception that it is about winning. If it was about winning the IOC wouldn't actualy be encouraging (and helping finance I think) African swimmers and the like.
Competetiveness is simply the most acceptable answer to the problem, think how angry the public would be if uncompetitive athletes were sent instead?
I would love to see the Oly-Whites at the Olympics and yes we do need to apply pressure to make sure they go.