back to article Fans decry tennis gal's breast-slash plan

Rising Romanian tennis star Simona Halep is facing popular opposition to her plan to reduce her breasts, which she describes as an "uncomfortable" impediment to optimum performance on the court. The 17-year-old junior French Open champ - whose vital stats are: height 5ft 5in; world ranking 264; cup size 34DD - confirmed: "This …

COMMENTS

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  1. Studley
    Heart

    online petitions never work

    ...thank the lord.

  2. John70

    Nice rack-et

    And her form looks good.

  3. J
    Paris Hilton

    I think

    Well, she could also consider a change in career in a year or two...

  4. D@v3

    i agree

    they do look like quite a distraction

  5. Richard

    What a waste it would be.

    If she has a boyfriend, I'm sure you'll find his name on the petition.

  6. Pierre

    The Lord giveth...

    ... and the plastic surgeon taketh. A big loss for the Tennis and Entertainment Industry, Inc. -which seems to prefer skinny supermodel-like Russian starlets anyway. I'm still off to sign the petition though.

  7. Chizo Ejindu
    Paris Hilton

    Can i be the first to say...

    Fwap... i mean bap... i mean BACKache may be a real problem for her, to further her career its probably the right move :)

    Paris, because she's put her back into furthering her career :P

  8. Frank Bough
    Unhappy

    Sad

    There's something very wrong with the world when a woman will mutilate herself for such a ridiculous reason.

  9. Richy Freeway
    Thumb Up

    IT Angle?

    IT? Eh? Where am I? I'm not even sure what game she's playing.

  10. Steen Hive

    Unit war

    Time to abandon old, Imperial Bulgarian airbags and replace them with shiny new metric Romanian ones, methinks.

  11. Pete Rowley
    Thumb Up

    Heheh

    IT angle? It was the camera angle I was more concerned about.

  12. John Robson Silver badge
    Paris Hilton

    sports bra?

    Might help here - and I'm sure some sports bra manufacturer could come up with something better than she is wearing there, and get advertising out of it!

  13. Luis Ogando
    Thumb Up

    Services

    Well, in an act of TOTAL selflessness, I'd like to offer my services as her personal Jub-restrainer. I'll run around behind her, offering full support from my (pre-warmed) cupped palms to ensure her wubbas don't boing around too much.

  14. regadpellagru
    Joke

    What to say ?

    I'm breast^H^H^H^H^H^Hspeachless.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    I know how she feels

    Not having 70ft long legs has really held back my ambitions to compete in the high jump. But as soon as I get the surgery I feel certain that my natural abilities will allow me to smash the current world record.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    B-B-B-B-Bad To The Bone

    By chance I watched this clip while listening to Bad To The Bone by George Thorogood And The Destroyers. The mesmeric rhythm of the video synchronised perfectly with the beat of the song, not to mention the two lasted almost exactly the same time.

    What's going on there?

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Career longevity?

    If life give you lemons, make lemonade.

    Kournikova forged a pretty decent modelling career once she gave up that tennis nonsense, and she was doing a lot better in the world rankings than this girl was.

    (I've just realised how terribly sexist that sounds)

  18. Anonymous John
    Unhappy

    What about the Amazon warior women?

    They were supposed to have cut the right ones off to make archery easier.

  19. Scott Mckenzie

    Bouncy Bouncy!

    Brilliant guys... you can tell it's Friday that was excellent...

    Though i do have to question her reasons, clearly she does just fine with them as they are!

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Fuck the IT angle

    I'm off for a quick one off the wrist.

  21. Ke

    We don't need no stinking title.

    In all fairness they're far from proportional to her body.

    The first step to bio-engineered / enhanced athletes?

  22. Wokstation
    Joke

    Balls!

    She can play with... *SMACK* Sorry Mrs Wok... erm... I was watching tennis dear. What do you mean I don't like tennis? I do now, I think it's quite *SMACK* sorry dear, sorry... sorry...)

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Any...

    more than a mouthful is a waste.

    Mines the one with calipers in the pocket.

  24. Christoph

    The IT angle is obvious

    There are going to be a *lot* of spams using this as a come-on.

  25. Geoff Webber
    Paris Hilton

    hmmm

    for me the footage was spoilt by the needless tittering from the audience.

    Paris.............. she has balls as well

  26. Frank

    Needs Some Dampers

    It's quite a problem for women involved in jumpy/bouncy sports. The girl needs in line dampers in place of her bra straps it seems. I don't know anything about this subject area but I'm sure she must be able to get a better sports bra than whatever she's using?

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    How on earth...

    ... is a straight read blooded bloke supposed to comment on a story like this without risking a lifetime ban from the Moderatrix?

    Well, I couldn't play tennis that well if I had those things bouncing around in front of me. I have enough trouble with the middle aged spread bouncing around...

  28. calagan
    Thumb Up

    Pleeeeeease sign the petition!!

    Pleeeeeease sign: tennis would be "flat" without it

    http://www.petitiononline.com/sisice/petition.html

  29. Armus Squelprom

    An Unfortunate Situation

    Okay there's no denying the majesty of those norks, but they're really not compatible with top-level tennis. She's done incredibly well to achieve so much already, after the surgery she'll be even better.

    But still, it's a crime against humanity....

  30. kain preacher

    Not even worth it

    Only people that are complaining are men. This is not even worth a mention

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    After reviewing the evidence...

    I agree that from our* point of view the reduction surgery is going to be a real shame. If only she could go for helium additions to reduce the weight *and* ensure perkiness in the future! Alas I'm guessing it's the momentum more than the weight which is causing her issues.

    Real fans of the lass should go for a different approach.

    Set up a fund with enough cash in it for her to reverse the surgery. If she gets to 200th position she gets the cash, if she doesn't the fund gets used as suggested.

    *male interested in the female half of the species

    PH - because deep down inside we're all in favour of women getting on top

  32. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Romanian Airbags?

    Doesn't quite have the same ring to it as 'Bulgarian Airbags'. Maybe she was just jealous when Bulgaria joined the EU at the same time as Romania last year...

    IT Angle? The footage was on YouTube - there you go...

  33. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    This looks to me like

    Entrapment. You draw our attention to a woman tennis player's breasts (so far, so meeting the readership's needs of news from the cutting edge of IT) and entice us to make comments.

    I just know if I do comment I'll get pounced on by la moderatrix. You're not getting me like that again. I thought the resolution and date transfer rates of the youtube video were pretty poor, although I recognise traffic rates affect the user experience.

  34. Doug Glass
    Paris Hilton

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

    If she does that the phrase "Tits up" will have such diminished impact.

    Paris because ... well ... Paris would never.

  35. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    They do look rather uncomfortable.

    I have to say apart from their purely aesthetic value I can see why she would be troubled by them.

    They bounce much and no mistake.

    I presume she has tried the best athletic bras on offer and found no relief.

    Good luck to her I say....

  36. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    and of course

    a 20 second click wouldn't have been sufficient so you went for the 5 minute one

  37. Anonymous Coward
    Heart

    Arghh

    Sod the IT angle, what about the humanitarian angle? Big boobs like that and STILL underage in the US! Luckily us Brits get to look at those boobs without fear of the Jail Bait mentality!

  38. Absinthe_Nishi
    Happy

    I'm sorry, but they're...

    ...exquisite!

    Whilst I understand her reasons for the reduction op, it's still a bit of a shame to change such a fantastic figure purely so she can be better at her sport.

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    More than a handful is a waste

    That is all

  40. ThinkingOutLoud
    Paris Hilton

    Where do we sign?

    I'll be happy to hold them for her to relieve any stress... Must watch more tennis.

    Paris because she could do with whatever gets chopped off.

  41. Chris C

    Hypocrisy

    "Rising Romanian tennis star Simona Halep is facing popular opposition to her plan to reduce her breasts, which she describes as an 'uncomfortable' impediment to optimum performance on the court."

    I find it intriguing that we (society) have no problems with women inserting silicone or saline into their bodies to increase the size of their breasts, and we have no problem with women removing fat from their body to make them slimmer, and yet, for some reason, we have a problem when a woman wants to reduce her breast size. Why? I know that a lot of men think "bigger is better", but is that the only reason? Why do we care at all?

    Being a male, I can only imagine how uncomfortable an impediment it is. As well as the discomfort and added strain on her shoulders and back, it provides real physical disadvantages, specifically inertia. As she moves, her breasts move; when she stops, inertia will cause her breasts to keep moving, effectively exerting additional force on her body, pulling it in the direction of the movement. A super-heavy-duty sports bra may help, but I would think that would cause even greater discomfort and restrict her movement.

    Simply put, it's her body, and she needs to do what's right for her, not what society wants her to do.

  42. Manas Straw

    I for one ...

    welcome our protuberance encumbered overlordesses!

  43. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Lubbly Jubbly...

    Hmmmmm Yummy

    Puting a knife to those would be a crime against babys...

    now you would'nt condone child abuse now would you...

  44. Alex C
    Go

    Who could possibly complain?

    Aside from being slightly pervy its far more interesting than Andy vs Tipsy over on the Beeb at the moment.

  45. bluesxman
    Coat

    Curmudgeon speaks

    In the Yorkshire vernacular of course...

    What's T'IT angle?

  46. Geoff Campbell Silver badge
    Paris Hilton

    Utterly gratuitous bouncing norks footage....

    ....excellent work, keep it up.

    Paris, for reasons that probably need little explanation.

  47. Jamie
    Linux

    That is good quality journalism

    See, it is not that hard to take the time to properly investigate the story and to get some media to help bring the story home.

  48. Chris
    Go

    Solution

    Maybe a technology based solution could help, some sort of robot hands that move to counter act any imbalance caused caused from the motion of the breasts.

    Further Research is definitely required. Maybe we should get her in for a consultation?

  49. Burch

    Can I be the fifth person to say

    new balls pleas?

    Cheers

  50. Blubster
    Thumb Up

    Dear lord!

    It's a wonder she hasn't knocked her own teeth out.

  51. Wayland Sothcott
    Happy

    It's not the winning....

    it's the spectating that counts in womens tennis.

  52. Sceptical Bastard

    Fridays are GOOD on El Reg

    Nice one, Vultures! A bouncing start to the weekend!

    I can't possibly say what I think about the poor girl's predicament - let alone comment on the YT clip of her suffering - for fear of the Moderatrix's outrage and derision ;)

  53. Pete
    Coat

    Ahhhh... I get it Lester

    "And before the curmudgeons among you start start banging on about the IT angle and remove El Reg from your bookmarks, the Daily Mail reckons Halep fans have started an online petition urging her to reconsider"

    The Information Technology Angle or TIT angle

    Anyway, I can't see anything wrong with her swing.

  54. neb
    Thumb Up

    boing...

    ...aboing aboing

    sod the it angle

  55. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Not surprised

    she has her knockers over this ill-conceived plan. It would be a real boob that's for sure. She can't have taken into account the effect on her overhead smash.

  56. Apocalypse Later

    Nothing new

    Wasn't it the ancient Amazons who would have a breast removed to facilitate archery?

  57. N

    a great loss, but

    Im sure whatever she ends up with, they will be perfect, but meanwhile I could watch her play for hours

  58. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Would that be a technical

    double fault?

  59. anarchic-teapot

    Re: sports bra?

    She's obviously wearing one already, and it still looks bloody uncomfortable to me. A 'C' cup is bad enough, is the poor soul really cursed with a DD?

    Actually, the tennis angle is probably just an excuse. Very few women actually enjoy men staring at their tits all the time, despite what your favourite movies might indicate.

  60. LaeMi Qian

    While I don't have the issue myself,

    I know from friends that large breasts are VERY uncomfortable for any vigorous activity (well, outside the bedroom anyway) if not properly restrained.

    I do feel that the poster further up is right that a sports bra manufacturer might be able to offer a less surgical solution, however in the end it is her body and career and not many people complain when a woman gets enlargement surgery for far less reason.

    ...

    And I know plenty of guys who prefer things there a manageable proportion too. I guess they weren't put on bottle-feeding in infancy? :-P

  61. Anonymous Coward
    Boffin

    Oh, Mama!

    Please don't do it. We're sorry to see 'em going and you'll be sorry too...

    Boffin 'cause I am one.

  62. kain preacher

    @Frank Bough

    Twat.

  63. JassMan
    Gates Horns

    @What about the Amazon warior women?

    I think you'll find most amazon toxophilists were right handed so they would have to remove the left jubbly.

    Still - 'twould be a great shame to mutilate herself for a short-term gain in a sport where her career may only last 10-15 years. Better to go for that really BIG sponsorship deal then follow Kournikova.

  64. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    sad...

    They’re magnificent! It would be a crime against menkind, tennis fans, funbag fans and humanity to downgrade those breasts! I say no! Don’t do it! Think of the children, hell think about me!!!

  65. snafu

    The weight of the world

    After seeing that documentary in which a well-endowed girl told her all too laughing girlfriends "ok, now just put this couple of weighted sacks over yours all day and we'll see how you enjoy your lower back pain", I get her point.

    Even so...

  66. wayne

    What, no Ms Bee reprimands?

    What a sad lot of commentators today. Or has Ms Bee the Friday off?

    My vote is that it's her body to do with as she pleases.

    Surgically altering her body for tennis. What's next, a post op transgendered female tennis player?

    I know, there already was one.

  67. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I don't believe she said that

    "This fall I'll have a breast reduction operation"

    Why would a French person say "fall"?

    Why would a UK website translate it to "fall" instead of "autumn"?

    I'd delete my reg bookmark except that I was fully prepared to have to post "Where are the pictures?" but instead found full video...to my very pleasant surprise :-)

  68. 2FishInATank
    Joke

    Wait a minute.....

    Was there tennis going on in that clip?

  69. William Hamblen

    A worthy successor

    She's a worthy successor to Francoise Durr.

  70. Darryl

    Damn!

    I gave up watching tennis years ago so I'm just finding about this now, and she's going to go and get 'em reduced?

    http://sports.popcrunch.com/babe-of-the-day-simona-halep/simona-halep-big-boobs/

  71. William Hamblen

    A worthy successor.

    She is a worthy successor to Francose Durr.

  72. Chris C

    @Frank Bough

    "There's something very wrong with the world when a woman will mutilate herself for such a ridiculous reason."

    Please define "mutilate". Do you consider breast enlargement surgery to be mutilation? Liposuction? Botox injections? Nose jobs? Any kind of cosmetic surgery? LASIK or other type of eye surgery? Tooth fillings, caps, crowns, or implants? Gold teeth? Braces? Tattoos? Piercings? Knee or hip replacements? Organ replacement? Heart bypass surgery? Appendix removal? Titanium pins or plates to replace missing bone? Mastectomy? Hysterectomy? Tonsillectomy? Gastric bypass? The point is, one person's definition of "mutilation" can be far different from another's.

    I can speak only for myself, but I would guess that a large number of people do not consider a person's career to be "a ridiculous reason". Do you think training every day of their lives is "a ridiculous reason" for an Olympic medalist or a classical musician? Advancement of one's career is a very valid reason for many choices, especially when it coincides with other reasons.

    Stop being a male chauvinist pig and start being a human.

  73. Lars Silver badge
    Happy

    Easy stuff, for girls, that is

    But what about a guy with too big balls.

  74. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So she's allowed surgery to improve her game?

    While I don't have any preference about whether or not she has them reduced (just remember that the nipples can fall off if you go too far) it seems a bit funny when she's doing it for performance-enhancing reasons.

  75. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    @ChrisC

    "I find it intriguing that we (society) have no problems with women inserting silicone or saline into their bodies to increase the size of their breasts, and we have no problem with women removing fat from their body to make them slimmer"

    Well, I for one object to both of those, along with botox and painting your teeth white before going out, as currently suggested by a TV advert.

  76. raving angry loony

    apes

    Makes sense to me. If she wants to keep playing, she's go to do something about those bags of fat. The only reason so many men are going apeshit is that the bags of fat have nipples on them.

  77. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Solution?

    Gaffer tape. Maybe two rolls.

  78. Nic Hoy
    Stop

    Do the olympics have tennis?

    And would the olympic rule-makers put her in the same boat as Oscar Pistorius?

    Or can we start grafting oversized hands on English goalkeepers?

  79. kain preacher

    34 DD

    For her body frame it will cause back problems for her .

  80. JC
    Coat

    @ Chris C

    At the tender age of 17 it is hardly a career yet.

    Mutilate would be any surgery that is not meant to improve health or restore one to their intended physical state (for example taking an appendix out, disfigurement from a fire or car accident).

    On the other hand, every now and then I hear rumblings from the tin foil hat crowd that today women have breasts larger than they were supposed to be due to drinking too much milk from scientifically tweaked cows.

    Lions and tigers and bears, oh my. Why'd I have to go and talk about drinking milk in a topic about big boobs? I'll be getting my coat...

  81. Dave Harris

    Hold up

    While I can understand her will to succeed in her chosen profession, I can't help but think that 17 years old is too young to be even thinking about radical surgery such as this. Considering her body is still growing, I hope she realises this is a drastic step to take at her age.

  82. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    From the look of that footage

    She doesn't need a breast reduction, she needs a better bra. I think the important question is, has she visited Rigby & Peller yet?

  83. Michael
    Paris Hilton

    A real shame

    Maybe she should play a few exhibition matches against the male gender first. Get in a few wins by way of distraction?

  84. Dex
    IT Angle

    IT Angle?

    TIT Angle surely?

    boingo boingo bouncy bouncy

  85. Al Thomson
    Unhappy

    Perfect breasts

    There are so few perfect breasts in the world, it would be a shame to damage hers!!

  86. James O'Brien
    Joke

    She was playing tennis?

    I didnt notice.

    Dont disagree with her reasons but damn they look nice.

  87. Shane Orahilly
    Thumb Down

    Not Fair

    Linford Christie didn't have reduction surgery to improve his performance (or drag co-efficient), and we all had to put up with watching that thing bobbing around in lycra-bound slow-motion. It's time The Lads got something back.

  88. John Smith Gold badge
    Thumb Up

    This operation is pretty risky

    Heard of 19 YO old decided to get this done and flatlined at least once on the table.

    Breast reduction is nowhere near the *relatively* straightforward job an augmentation is.

    However if your looking at a world class career in tennis then this is a potential disadvantage. Substantial forces are being exerted and anything able to restrain her two perky friends is likely to reduce her flexibility for reaching those high shots over the net. I'll hope she re-considers but it is her choice.

  89. David Moore
    Paris Hilton

    Best

    bouncy bouncy

    ooh such a good time

    Bouncy Bouncy

    White socks slipping down

    Bouncy Bouncy

    Stilettos are a no no

    Bouncy Bouncy

    Ooh

    Bouncy Bouncy ooh

    Everytime I bounce I feel I touch the skyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

    BTW. Love the holier than thou, 'thou shalt not mutilate' commentators. It's a pretty drastic thing to do to yourself, but it's her body, she can do what she wants to it. Who cares, really?

    PARIS, cause she could make use of the offcuts. (too far? :)

  90. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    A good friend....

    ... had exactly the same thing, breast reduction to aid her career.

    On this occasion though she is a commercial pilot and her baps got in the way of the control column!!!

    I think she is a bit miffed now as she flies fly-by-wire with a joystick instead so she could have kept the puppies :(

    Crimes against pervality!!

    Hasn't stopped her though, she is now a Captain, flying to exotic locations (ok then, and New York) and staying in hotels miles from anywhere with the absolute minimum of rest time.

    But is she happy?!!

    ttfn

  91. Jeffrey Nonken
    Thumb Up

    Frog Bra!

    http://www.titlenine.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=2166

  92. b
    Stop

    nice buzzums..

    ..and nice legs, it has to be said..

    oh sh!t, yes, the i.t. angle, erm...

    i'm viewing this on my pc?!

  93. Frank Bough
    Thumb Down

    @ Chris C

    "Do you consider breast enlargement surgery to be mutilation?" Yes.

    "Liposuction?" Yes.

    "Botox injections?" Yes.

    "Nose jobs?" Oh yes.

    "Any kind of cosmetic surgery?" Pretty much, yes. Obviously, maxillofacial surgery is quite different.

    LASIK or other type of eye surgery?" You mean ELECTIVE, UNNECESSARY, OCCASIONALLY QUITE DAMAGING eye surgery? Yes.

    "Tooth fillings, caps, crowns, or implants?" This is for maintenance of proper function so, no. "Gold teeth?" Again, no. Gold has qualities that make it a suitable material for such a role.

    "Braces?" Yes, though braces can be used to correct damage done as well as to 'perfect' teeth.

    "Tattoos?" Thrice yes.

    "Piercings?" Yes, though a pretty harmless and perfectly reversible mutilation in most cases.

    "Knee or hip replacements? Organ replacement? Heart bypass surgery? Appendix removal? Titanium pins or plates to replace missing bone? Mastectomy? Hysterectomy? Tonsillectomy? Gastric bypass?" Is it possible that I'm the first person to introduce you to the difference between medical and non-medical surgical procedures?

    "I can speak only for myself, but I would guess that a large number of people do not consider a person's career to be "a ridiculous reason"." You're right, a large number of people are quite stupid.

    "Do you think training every day of their lives is "a ridiculous reason" for an Olympic medalist or a classical musician?" No, but cutting off parts of their bodies is quite different to training. Some might even call that cheating. Would you be happy to see a swimmer lop his ears off to make his head more hydrodynamically efficient?

    "Advancement of one's career is a very valid reason for many choices, especially when it coincides with other reasons." Indeed, the drug dealer can often advance his career prospects by gunning down a rival.

  94. Anton Ivanov
    Paris Hilton

    re: i agree

    She is silly, a mixed double with her onboard is guaranteed the cup 100% of the times. Cough...

    That may not be as much money as she will get from a solo career, but it is guaranteed money none the less.

  95. The Jase

    point

    She does have a point, those things sem to have a life of their own.

    Breast reduction surgery is a big deal, its major surgery. If she is serious about a career in sports, she should have the operation (all that bouncing around leading to strains, stretch marks, etc. not nice. And yes, it does thorw her game out too), but if she is not, she should not have the surgery.

  96. jake Silver badge

    @Sarah

    Breathe.

  97. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    this is a technology challenge.

    To all those materials engineers and designers of sports equipment, think of the marketing opportunity from sorting that out. If you can buy adaptive suspension on a Porsche, why not here? This could make more spin-offs than the Apollo program. Surely one for DARPA funding eh Lewis?

    .

  98. James Pickett

    Career change?

    She could get a lot more money for a lot less work if she leaves them alone...

    She could still do a bit of coaching to keep her hand in (no single, double or triple entendre intended).

  99. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    Re: @ Chris C

    Now, I haven't been moderating these myself, but what's all this? A debate about acceptable surgery? Whuh?

    Do what you like to yourself, I say. Most women who have breast reductions don't do it out of vanity (although if you want to do it out of vanity, why not?) - it's because it's physically and/or psychologically uncomfortable. (Not that enormojugs get undue attention or anything - I mean, look at all the admiring comments in this thread, who could possibly complain?) This woman is doing it because it's physically incompatible with the life she wishes to lead.

    Women having toes removed to fit into tiny shoes is fucked up, to my mind, but it's up to them. This isn't fucked up, to my mind.

    Sorry, I meant to say - woo! See them jubblies fly! It's a crime against nature to lop 'em off! Send her over here, if she can't make money at pro tennis I'll see her right! etc.

  100. James Pickett
    Dead Vulture

    Bounceometer

    Wot! No link to this?

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/10/bounceometer/

    Come on El Reg - do try and keep up...

  101. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    oh, and Frank

    >>"Advancement of one's career is a very valid reason for many choices, especially when it coincides with other reasons." Indeed, the drug dealer can often advance his career prospects by gunning down a rival.

    Ha! I've been moderating here for 18 months or so and this is possibly the most uproariously daft and pompous comment I've ever seen. Do you belong to some sort of nature cult? I feel inclined to go out and get a great big tattoo and the laser eye surgery I've been toying with the idea of. Also, the ear thing - not a bad idea, I'd say.

    Incidentally now I'm back in the chair I am damming this tide of drool. You've had your fun, boys.

  102. Drak

    and were going to miss shots like this

    http://nsa03.casimages.com/img/2008/12/11/081211073617997571.jpg

  103. Jonathan White
    Dead Vulture

    Return of the Mod

    With all due respect Sarah, ido you really have grounds to take umbrage with the comments posted in this thread given the story in question is virtually a fishing exercise to get them. Did you really expect to get any other sort of comment? In fact doesn't the story kind of apologise for itself on exactly the same basis?

    Not that I approve of them I think they're pretty crass in the main. However, if you don't want lots of outrageous comments about a young woman's breasts maybe not posting a story about a young woman's breasts - with embedded video for Pete's sake - might have been a better option? Seems very slightly hypocritical of the reg (as an organisation, not you personally) to me.

    On the subject of the woman and her apparent plans, It's not unusual for athletes in any sport to have operations which will repair injuries or the like to allow them to continue in competition even though they could continue to function in normal life perfectly well without the surgery. This seems to me to be a rather extreme case of that. It's her choice to do as she will, assuming she understands any long term effects it may have.

    Jon

  104. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    Re: Return of the Mod

    Untwist your knickers, Jon. I know how it works - a story goes up (and I'm not the editor, I don't decide what gets published) and I wrangle the comments. It's my job to decide when to start filtering out the repetitive dribblings. So that's what I'm doing.

    And I was taking umbrage, if at all (I think 'issue' is more apposite) with Frank, whose comment was nutty. So hush your mouth.

    Ah Monday.

  105. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    RE:So she's allowed surgery to improve her game?

    This is exactly the point i was going to raise, why would it be acceptable to surgically alter yourself so that you are better suited to competing in a sport, when it is considered completely unnacceptable to chemically alter yourself so that you are better suited to compete.

    Sports are supposed to be about people working hard in order to be better than the rest, having surgery just to be better because you're body is naturally unsuitable* for your chosen sport, seems a little like cheating.

    *don't start on the paralympics and artificial limbs etc, there's a big difference. Also i realise she probably started playing before this was an issue.

  106. Matthew Coulson
    Thumb Down

    @Frank Bough

    With uncorrected vision, I can see clearly up to 6 inches from my face.

    Contrary to what adverts say, wearing contact lenses day in day out becomes incredibly uncomfortable after a while. Glasses are a pain in the rear end too. While you certainly can get all types designed for various activities, nothing beats a pair of eyes that work properly in the first place.

    If surgery existed that could provide new limbs to those that have lost them, or were never born with them - would that also be mutilation?

  107. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Security

    What a waste of excellent backup storage space. Will she be putting the erasure job out to tender? There will be offers. Let's hope that the USB sockets are not damaged during the process.

  108. Martin

    Surgery or steroids?

    How is surgical modification to her body to improve her game any different from taking drugs to improve her performance?

    For the record, I have no opinion on whether or not she should have the op done. My question is solely in regard to the governing body's decision about her future play. If it were up to me, she'd be ineligible, just like if she took steroids.

  109. Gene Strong

    Keep the boobs

    Keep the boobs, take up bowling..Take up anything, but keep the boobs.

  110. Frank Bough
    Dead Vulture

    @Sarah

    "Women having toes removed to fit into tiny shoes is fucked up, to my mind, but it's up to them. This isn't fucked up, to my mind."

    I think you need to spend a bit of time thinking seriously about this. Surgery is FUCKING dangerous. Having breast reduction is significantly more risky than lopping a toe off - you could probably do the latter at home with a few medical supplies. Your attitude to this is both flippant and inconsistent, and quite what you mean by your "nature cult" comment is beyond me; I'm a scientist, engineer and geek; but one that has the proper respect for tinkering with biological machines that we don't fully understand and cannot successfully reboot.

  111. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    I can see how it would be a problem

    It really must be quite a disability for her - and therein lies the answer. We ought to make allowances for peoples disabilities, a special league 16-18 women with disproportionately large breasts sounds like a good idea to me.

    Mines the soiled raincoat.

  112. Seán

    @Frank Bough

    Though you admit you know absolutely nothing about medicine you're scared of it. Hey that's ok, people have irrational fears all the time, you're like an american frightened of socialism. The important thing is that you don't make a complete tool of yourself in front of normal people.

    @ChrisC You may be male and self identify as a man but you're not really cut out for the job. Perhaps you should get some surgical augmentation yourself.

  113. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    one hundred and thirteen comments

    I guess that's the most comments ever for an elREG article .. :)

    "And before the curmudgeons among you start start banging on about the IT angle and remove El Reg from your bookmarks, the Daily Mail reckons Halep fans have started an online petition urging her to reconsider"

  114. G

    Surely

    She'd get more money doing sports training videos, why doesn't she take it up?

  115. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    Re: one hundred and thirteen comments

    Nah. There have been more. One was for the debate on whether it should be theregister.com or theregister.co.uk. Geeeeeeeek.

  116. Pierre
    Coat

    Horse racing

    This pair of puppies is clearly a problem for her career. It's admittedly an extreme case, but it's probably not fair that she has to undergo such a risky procedure just to stay in the game. This, by the way, applies to all athletes. Maybe it's time to look at what we can do to level the field... maybe it's time to reintroduce the good old "handicap" system: before each match, various measurements could be done, and the less "naturally handicapped" of the athletes would then have to bear an "artificial handicap" (in this case, a wobbly pair of Jello-filled balloons?). Of course, this could be adapted to other sports. Someone already mentioned Linford Christie I believe. Also, have a look at that (French-like lingo alert): http://www.tetesaclaques.tv/la_natation_vid711)

    Mine's the one with the referee's phone number in the pocket.

  117. Frank Bough
    Thumb Down

    @Seán

    Firstly, this is the Reg, there are no normal people reading this. Secondly, I know a tiny bit about medicine, which is only a smidgen less that the medical profession in my extensive experience of it. Going into hospital is one of the most effective ways to become ill yet devised, and going under general anesthesia flirting with death itself. Two members of my extended family have died from surgical complications while undergoing routine operations that were theoretically medically useful - to elect to go under the knife for so stupid a reason as to improve your fucking forehand is asking for trouble. If you'd had any GA surgery you'd know that you have to sign a disclaimer before you go under which essentially says 'I know this operation might kill me and I don't mind'.

    Coming after the absurd "Russian blows off ex-boyf's todger with firecrackers" story I'm beginning to wonder whether the Reg has any respect for life at all.

  118. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    Re: @Seán

    I'm sorry about your relatives, Frank, but you said yourself that these things are a choice and a matter for the individual. All anyone can do is take advice and responsibility.

    We should probably wrap this up now, no?

  119. Anonymous Coward
    Linux

    Ohhhh Nooooooooooooo

    At last a nice chick with natural tits, instead of the micronorks on most of them...

    Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo no surgery... Noooooooooooooooooooooooo

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