To think female athletes don't need to be kissed by those presenting them with their medals?

[worldsworstchildren]

Watching some of the women's medal ceremonies I wonder if any of them enjoy beong kissed by the (old) men handing over their medals?
All of the women on the podium looked really awkward and it was obviously done out of politeness (on their part).
Years and years of hard work and that's their reward? Yuck!

Unlikely, as everyone getting a medal has to wear their country's tracksuit (rather than the kit they wore to compete), zipped up.

Really? You were paying attention

I thought it was some kind of medal holder

Don't think it's anything like as bad as those wreath thingeys the medalists had to wear at the Athens games (and yes, I do know WHY they were given them but there were many athletes who looked like they'd rather not have 'em!)

I thought it was some kind of medal holder

That's what I saw, but until I see a medal in one I can't see how it would work... I guess it's nice to have something to put on the mantelpiece, though, if you want to keep your medal under lock and key.

The BBC website said it was a medal holder. There was a very funny photo of a Chinese medal winner peering at it with the look of 'wtf is this???'.

I'd love to get a peck if I got a medal. I'm quite tactile though. I'd definitely give athletes one if i was dishing them out.

The 'old men' are not trying to song them! , but if you think people over a certain age should never kiss or be kissed by the young and beautiful, then fair enough.
I mean, how dare anyone with wrinkles politely congratulate anyone with a kiss?!

Snog not song! Stupid auto correct can Sod off!

I kiss everyone. Never get this MN hatred of physical contact.

I never get why people 'don't get' that others don't want to be hugged and kissed by randoms

It's not "an MN thing", motherinferior, it's a personal preference and consent thing

I think it's fine to be hugged and kissed ....They are being congratulated fcol oh and would it be different if they were young men?

I saw men being kissed too

I don't particularly like being hugged and kissed by close relations, let alone randoms, but I have learned to submit with good enough grace. But that is my choice and if it makes people uncomfortable they shouldn't have to do it.

But the medal ceremonies took place within 30 minutes of the result, plenty of time for an adult to say to the person leading them to the podium: 'I want a handshake, not a kiss. Let the person giving me my medal and bit of Rio 2016 memorabilia know that.'

We've all heard horror stories of bullying of young athletes, but on the whole, these people are not backwards in putting themselves first. That's why they're on the podium.

I don't think it appropriate for anyone to kiss anyone at the Olympics awards. It's a very formal occasion. You wouldn't kiss the Queen or the Archbishop of Canterbury if you met them. If the interviewer congratulated you on getting a job by kissing you, you'd be appalled! However, an athlete may feel she has to submit on the podium, rather than creating an international incident.

By contrast, it's interesting to observe how wholeheartedly team-mates and coaches are hugging when they're competing.

However, an athlete may feel she has to submit on the podium, rather than creating an international incident.

You may be right. I disagree. Men were kissed too. I watched a lot of these games but I failed to keep a tally of this or the sexes of the kissers and the kissees. Their sexual orientation and reasons for kissing would be even more difficult to determine.

As I said, there is ample time for a medal winner to say that she or he would prefer a handshake. I imagine that anyone but the most determined sexual harasser would be mortified by the recoil of the intended recipient on their kiss on a world stage.

But then, if you really felt you should make a stand, you could do something like this:

I'd probably kiss the archbishop. Not the queen as I disapprove of her job. I'd definitely do my best to kiss Obama if I got the chance. Am clearly a lecherous danger to Anglo society and should emigrate to somewhere more lascivious.

It's more the generalised MN dislike of people in general I find a bit odd. People doing things like knock on the door or ring up. There are regular threads about the horror of human contact on that level.

Forgive my ignorance limited but what's going on in that pic I've never seen it before?

Or you could just make your disapproval known from the

Do you think Lilly King worried about creating an international incident?

That's the Black Power salute by US athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics.

The white athlete, Peter Norman, appeared to be against them but he wasn't, he wore a badge pledging solidarity but didn't feel that he could join in with the salute and also said it was more a human rights struggle than a black struggle.

They were all severely punished over the years here

Sorry - that's to Pinky

Am clearly a lecherous danger to Anglo society and should emigrate to somewhere more lascivious.

Oh Mother. Just don't come round here with your lipsmacking ways

Mwah

Michelle Obama cuddled the Queen and escaped with her head, Next up, a snog with Justin Welby

I think I'd draw the line at tongues with the Archbishop of Canterbury

I bet Giles Fraser kisses people. He seems the type.