Comedian Stephen Colbert is at the Winter Olympics as “Assistant Sports Psychologist” to the U.S. Speed Skating Team. As well as a colour commentator for NBC.
Stephen’s personal philsophy is clearly stated on his personal poster.
Where I live in Canada there’s controversy regarding our “OWN THE PODIUM” program.
That’s a 5yr, $120 million fund created to put Canada first in medals won at the Vancouver Olympics. And in the top 3 in Paralympics.
Canadian athletes in the past, famously, have been gracious in defeat. Garnering more than our share of 4th and 5th place finishes. It’s about time we made it clear that our athletes are not “tourists”, as Dick Pound once called them.
Canadian athletes praise Own The Podium. And so do I.
I disagree with most of the complaints I’ve heard against Own The Podium. The only serious accusation is that the organizing committee scheduled too little practice time for foreign athletes at the competition venues. The Canadians got a lot more time, I hear. If so, the IOC needs change the rules.
GEM posted a couple of links relative to the story of the luger who died on a training run. Here’s one:
Kumaritashvili had just 26 practice runs, as opposed to the 200 for the Canadians
Be sure to read all the details before jumping to any conclusion.
5 comments ↓
I agree Rick – I Love “Own the Podium”, but am distressed to learn that Canadian’s may have had more training time at event venues than other countries. This is unacceptable to me, and downright dangerous. I have read criticism like this regarding the lack of training time afforded to other countries on the luge run – if so, it is unconscionable. The IOC needs to step in if this is the case – this CANNOT be allowed ever again.
I don’t like it when the Olympics becomes all about winning.
I hate to see athletes who qualify for the games by their sports federation’s standards staying at home because their country set a higher standard and wont let them go. Canada lost Mary Sanders (RG) to the US because they announced a certain ranking had to be achieved. Lucky for her, they did it far enough in advance that she was able to use her dual citizenship option.
Does the IOC have a way for these athletes to at least pay their own way to the games?
As a New Zealander, living next door to Australia – I can truly sympathise with “coming 4th and 5th” and needing to develop an “own the podium” mentality.
NZ spent the last Commenwealth Games coming 4th so often that the media launched a campaign to lobby for an extended podium and a 4th medal to be devised!
Australia has adopted a, to us NZers, very American attitude to winning. But it is working – look at the gains their gymnasts have, and are, making.
So go Canada! and maybe NZ (by that I mean the sports bodies, not the competitors) other than the rugby will follow suit.
It is a competition after all.
The training time thing is a worry though… a bit above and beyond the usual form of “home advantage”?
I was disturbed by the Canadian Luge athlete who complained about their home advantage being destoyed when they moved the start forward. Someone just died, and thats all they could think about?
Actual links
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/james-lawton-vancouverrsquos-quick-descent-from-high-ground-1899592.html
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Luger-who-died-told-father-he-was-terrified-of?urn=oly,219592
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