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Personally, I found the gold medal women's hockey game one of the most refreshing events thus far (even if the wrong team won). There was real elation, and dejection, after the final horn sounded -- the kind you don't see from the NHL players on the men's side who go back to their million-dollar salaries once the medals are handed out.
Read on:
IOC to investigate Canadian women's hockey team for celebration
The International Olympic Committee will investigate the actions of Canadian women's hockey players who celebrated their gold medal victory Thursday night by swigging beer and smoking cigars on the ice in Vancouver.
A number of players, including 18-year-old superstar Marie-Philip Poulin, were drinking alcohol on the ice following the team's 2-0 defeat of the United States. (The legal drinking age in British Columbia is 19.) Players lingered for more than 70 minutes after the awards ceremony reveling in the arena, which was empty except for media and arena staff. (Click here to view a slideshow of the celebration.)
Gilbert Felli, the IOC's executive director of the Olympic Games, said that drinking in public was "not what we want to see" from athletes at an Olympic venue. The organization will investigate the actions and will speak with the international hockey federation and Canadian Olympic Committee and ask them to "act accordingly."
Steve Keough, a spokesman for the Canadian Olympic Committee, told the Associated Press, “We condone celebrations. … We don’t condone actions of irresponsibility. I think Canadians understand it’s quite an emotional moment for our team. It was not our intention to go against any IOC protocols.”
To be sure, the Canadian women's hockey team should have acted with more class and been a little more discreet with its celebration. But to do something drastic like ban the team from the Closing Ceremony or force them out of the Olympic Village would be an overreaction. In past Olympics we've seen steroids, political boycotts, cheating and judging scandals. A few puffs of a cigar hardly seems to be in the same league.
posted by Gordon Glantz at
8:43 AM
9 Comments:
I agree. I was dubious about womens hockey before the Olympics but was impressed the skills of the Americans and Mooseheads. Somebody needs to lighten up. They better not strip their medals. I don't want the U.S. to win that way.
The way the Olympics exploits teen athletes, they live in a glass house on this one.
it figures a doors fan with that boozer Jim Morrison would condone drinking. the OIC has to option but to act.
in certain sports, like figure skating and gymnastics, athletes hit their prime in their teens.
Does anyone see what's happening Chile today?
Isn't that a little more important than this?
I used to be your biggest fan Gordon and I always stuck up for you when ignorant people would come on here and beat up on you. But more and more you are contradicting yourself. You have often written about not drinking yourself and about the stupid fools who think getting smashed at football games makes them real fans. Now you turn around and say it is ok for these girls to drink. It is not. And the fact that it happened at the Olympics as the potential to send the wrong message. Take it from someone who had close friends almost die from a DUI crash. It is not a laughing matter.
Uh, Eunice, look at the time and date of Gordon's blog post. He wrote this before the earthquake.
Chill out and watch men's gold medal game.
Kimmie: You are reading to much into it!
What is she supposed to do with a blog, not read it!
After that game last night, I need a drink myself. What a heart breaker!
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