I think I have thought of the answer to this conundrum - use the 'higher, faster, further' maxim.
In short, the only events allowed in the main games are those where there is an objective method of measurement of which competitor is the best. Whoever runs fastest, shoots more clay pigeons, scores the most goals etc will win a gold medal, the next best gets a silver and so on. These would be deemed as sports.
Any events where the result is open to 'interpretation' (and abuse) will be barred from the main games. Those events which depend on some judges deciding whether who won (on the basis of whether their toe was 1/20th of a degree out of line while spinning upside-down) would become a exhibition or fringe event.
For those who say that's unfair to exclide 'artistic events, I ask where should we stop? Should flower arranging be an Olympic event (it's open to interpretation)? What about wood-carving, ballroom dancing or parachuting? Why not include surfing, kite-flying or gardening ..... ?
So twatting about with a ribbon or waving your legs/arsehole out of the pool would no longer count and we can all concentrate on trying to guess which runner has taken what......
(Rant over)
