This changes the nature of the sport!

I'm sad.

The face of competitve eating, the sport we have all come to know and love, has taken on a new dimension that may possibly mar it forever.

Eating even organizers are being pressured to favor speed over quantity for health purposes, and they're giving in. Can you believe it?!?! It shows an obvious lack of understanding and respect for the nature of the sport.

For 15 years, competitors have traveled to the World Pie Eating Championships in this northwestern English town to gorge on as many meat and potato pies in three minutes as they can handle.

This year, in tune with the government's healthy eating drive and after sustained pressure from the Vegetarian Society, organizers overhauled the sport's rules, presenting the award to the contestant able to eat a single pie in the fastest time. They also introduced a vegetarian category.

Just because one is a fast eater does not make one the "most" (therefore the best) eater.