To think a round of applause is an inappropriate response to an injured athlete being stretchered off

[sickntiredtoo]

I was at a gymnastics competition yesterday when one of the acrobats fell from a throw and landed on her neck.The competition was halted and she was kept from moving until the paramedics arrived and stretchered her off about half an hour later.At which point the audience of several hundred people (who of course were nearly wholly families of the gymnasts) burst into a round of applause !
I was

Don't you remember the round of applause in Westminster Abbey at Diana's funeral? That was the protocol of not clapping at funerals done and dusted. I have also noticed more clapping at wedding lately.

Clapping is one of the only ways a crowd can signal anything, it's entirely natural and there isn't a right time to do it- given that it is self-generated. I think clapping to show appreciation of someone is completely normal.

If you listened, you probably would have noticed that the clapping was done at a slightly slower tempo than then frenzied clapping when someone scores a goal and you're trying to convey your excitement & yet is clearly not a derisory slow hand clap. Having been at a big sporting event when someone was stretchered off, it felt like the completely appropriate thing to do & you could feel the warmth emanating from the crowd.

It is amazing what someone can project onto an entire audience...

I thought it would be obvious that it was a show of support for the injured person...

OP - I can't quite think what to say! How silly of you, possibly springs to mind. It is supposed to be a way the audience can offer sympathy and support to the injured sportsman/woman.

oh dear god. Are people really that dim?

I thought it was because they thought .Good now we can return to the competition after a long delay

Okaayyyy then. This is the thread that verifies I'm a genius.

Nancy

My son was dramatically injured playing football once. Being clapped off was one of the highlights of his life!

A friend of mine from Uni wrote her thesis on the Sociology of Clapping

You know when people clap at the end of a funeral service?

it's not because they're glad the person is dead.

Nancy you're just made me snort out loud!

Ha, is this for real?

nancy66

I don't think it's appropriate at all. And a round of applause at funerals is equally dire. IMHO.

My god, I haven't laughed this much in weeks

Sorry OP. But, seriously, did you really think that was why people were applauding?!

Hands OP

(and I'm usually quite greedy and keep them all for myself :o )

It's from football (or standard there anyway.) When a home player goes onto the pitch or is subbed off they are applauded. When someone is hurt and stretchered off they are applauded regardless of which team they play for.

I don't think it's inappropriate at all. It shows the athletes appreciation and support.

What must the rest of the crowd have thought of YOU, op, as you didn't clap in solidarity?

Oh dear, did you tell anyone you thought they were being inappropriate?

How have you managed to get to adulthood without attending or watching any sporting event where someone was injured?

It's a proper "renewed my faith in mankind" moment when opposing supporters jointly and gently applaud an injured player IMO.

I went to a funeral a couple of years ago when there was lots of clapping, cheering, foot stamping and whistling.

It was the funeral of a very popular teenage boy. The congregation was full of his friends and it felt really 'right.' And it made his mum smile.

The OP just didn't understand sporting traditions. It's been made abundantly clear to them now and I think some people went too far. We should respect that not everyone has the same cultural references and traditions. I'd never heard of clapping at a funeral or when a hearse passes for example, you learn something new everyday!

Nancy, I don't know whether to smile or tear up at that.