> This is worse than the inclusion of equestrian events.

Hrm? Watch out, or I'll sick Leen on you. Equestrian events are absolutely fitting. Few people realize it, but horseback riding is a physically taxing activity and requires precise physical coordination and timing. It's as appropriate as any traditional Olympic sport.

Chess, however, is not a sport. There has been a growing movement to call it a sport, although until apparently now it's not been very successful in that it's relatively unknown outside of chess circles. It boggles my mind as to why people might be duped into thinking it a sport, and I'm even more perplexed about why anybody -- chess lovers or not -- would WANT to call it a sport. Granted, it's more than a board game; it's an amazingly dynamic contest requiring feats of logic and creativity and still has room for personal style. But it's not a sport in any way, shape, or form, and it doesn't belong in the Olympics.