There’s been controversy in Canada over the Own The Podium program, a 5yr, $120 million supplimentary investment in high performance Olympic sport. Much was copied from programs in Australia and the U.S.A.
Personally I agree with Olympic great Ken Reed:
… The intent of Canada’s Own The Podium program has become lost – or perhaps obscured – with the focus on the medal count. Yes, it was always about trying to win more medals than anyone in 2010. But from the get-go, it was clearly stated that this was a stretch goal – an ambitious target intended to galvanize our nation, inspire our athletes, focus our funding and build a foundation of partnership. …
… OTP is an overwhelming success. We have delivered funding, coaching resources, technology, preparation and team unity to build an environment for success. Regardless of the medal count, this is a fact. Canada’s team was prepared. …
On the other hand, decisions have already been made to change leadership, perhaps shift the focus of Own the Podium, and possibly even changing the much mocked name.
UPDATE: The U.S.A. owned the podium at this Olympics. Germany was fantastic, too. Congratulations. But Canadians are not disappointed with our results, overall. And once we defeat the States today in Men’s Hockey, we’ll have the most Gold medals for any host nation in Olympic history.
… Most of my friends are convinced that the upstart Americans will win Hockey. But I’m not worried.
Now … the IOC is in a much easier position to pull the Team and Individual medal from Sydney. IOC must choose to support either China or the International Gymnastics Federation. They’ll back FIG.
China has no influence over Dong Fangxiao because she lives in New Zealand. She and her husband have admitted she was underage. How can China think they can sustain this lie now?
Obviously the correct response for Beijing would have been to fire the coaches and administrators from 2000. And apologize. Since that didn’t happen, … I’m guessing China has more skeletons in the closet.
Let’s assume one of the “fall guys” they would have fired got angry and decides to reveal other rules violations. Age of athletes in 2008, Beijing, for example. …
Recall Brian McKeever, the legally blind skier who qualified for the Canadian Men’s Olympic Cross Country Ski Team?
As of this morning, he’s been dropped from the Team.
… Canadian cross-country ski coaches met Friday night to consider their lineup for Sunday’s final event, the men’s 50-kilometres. The decision was made to go with Ivan Babikov, Alex Harvey, George Grey and Devon Kershaw. Since no nation is allowed to field more than four racers in a cross-country event that means McKeever will not become the first winter athlete to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Team manager Dave Wood along with head coach Inge Braten were unavailable for comment Friday night. Earlier in the day, Braten spoke to the Canadian Press and said he had to be professional “and choose the guys who are the best for the 50-km. Normally, sorry to say, all four are faster than Brian. And I think they can fight for a medal, all four of them. And then I have to pick out one who has a medal chance and put in Brian? That’s the situation. I don’t like it.” …
How will the qualification process work? How is USAG going to choose gymnasts?
The first annual YOG (Youth Olympic Games) will be hosted in Singapore between 14 and 26 August 14-26th, 2010. That’s 3,600 athletes between 14 and 18 years of age from 205 National Olympic Committees.
Only 1 male and 1 female athlete will compete for each country in individual disciplines. All 26 sports on the London 2012 Olympic Games programme will be hosted.
Surprisingly, Michael Phelps was name official ambassador for YOG by the IOC. An effort to rehabilitate his tarnished reputation.
Women: born between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 1995
Athletes who have participated at FIG Senior competitions or multisport games (including continental championships and world cup events) may not participate …
The athlete selected to represent the US at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games will be determined from among the age eligible athletes by the selection committee immediately following the conclusion of the US Classic competition in July 2010.
The following criteria will be used to determine the YOG athlete and replacement athletes.
• All Around rank order at the 2010 US Classic Meet
• All Around Rank order using the YOG competition rules
May 2009 3
• Past International Results …
Gymnastics Examiner posted a good overview of the Chinese age falsification investigation:
… Yang, who is married to 2008 men’s Olympic all-around champion Yang Wei, was said to be 16 in Sydney. But in 2008 she gave an interview on Chinese television and stated that she was 14 when she competed at the Olympics. Yang later said she misspoke. She also won a bronze medal on uneven bars at the Sydney Games. …
I don’t believe for a second that Yang Yun was old enough for the 2000 Olympics. My guess is that she will admit her actual age in the massive media onslaught to come.
If China and her teammate are to be punished, I don’t think she and her Olympic Champion husband will stay quiet. He’s a national hero there.
Dong Fangxiao was 14 during the Sydney Games, according to an investigation by the International Gymnastics Federation. Gymnasts must be 16 during the Olympic year to compete.
A second gymnast on the 2000 squad, Yang Yun, also was suspected of being underage. But there was insufficient evidence her age had been falsified, and the FIG said it was giving her a warning.
The FIG has “cancelled” all of Dong’s results from Sydney and forwarded its investigation to the International Olympic Committee. Because the case involves the Olympics, it is up to the IOC to decide if China should lose any medals.
The IOC has said previously it would take “necessary measures” if any gymnasts were found to be underage. The United States was fourth at the Sydney Games.
“We can confirm that we have received the ruling from the FIG in the case concerning Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun, and we take due note of their decision,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said. “Clearly, we need to take time to consider the findings before the Executive Board can consider the matter. …
Most gymnastics experts feel the age requirement is the wrong way to protect young gymnasts around the world. But if FIG is going to make stupid rules, they should enforce them.
Next … why was Yang Yun found innocent? I saw muchmore convincing “evidence” that she was underage than for her teammate.
And will IOC actually strip Dong Fangxiao and the Chinese Olympic Team of their 2000 Olympic medals?
… Lassila took a congratulatory phone call from Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and showed her same knack for twisting and turning on the slopes by urging him to increase funding for better facilities at home.
“I was trying to persuade Kevin, my mate Kev, to build us a water ramp so that we can spend more time at home and also encourage some other youngsters to get involved with this sport,” said Lassila, who spends more than nine months a year training abroad. …
Lydia was an Artistic gymnasts as were the Silver and Bronze medalists from China.
The judging I find quite confusing. Many of the athletes do similar jumps with similar performance. Here Lydia tries to explain the rules for the rest of us.
Poly did some browsing on YouTube, coming up with this historic clip on Aerial Skiing.
Frank Bare performs the first triple twisting quadruple back flip in 1983. This is from Dick Barrymore’s film entitled “The Golden Years of Ski films”. Buy it at dickbarrymore.com
Frank learned it on a water ramp he helped build in 1978. No doubt they were inspired by the swimming pool used for landing extreme dismounts off horizontal bar and swinging rings near Muscle Beach, California.
Frank’s jump was impressive for that era. Only 4 or 5 men have ever done quadruple saltos. There’s very little incentive since it’s (happily) been banned in competition.
His father, Frank Bare Sr., was the first Executive Director 1963-1980 of the U.S. Gymnastics Federation (USGF). And later (1976-1980) was elected Vice-President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).
It’s been wonderful to see how both Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson translated their success as athletes into “brands”. Very few gymnasts have been able to do this in the past.
Hey, he’s launched a website called Flip For Charlie:
… my most important challenge- making the 2012 Olympic team. Despite the obstacles I may face, I know with your support my Olympic dream can be kept alive. I would like nothing more than to give back to a country that has already given me so much.
