Olympics debriefing

It is my feeling that CBC owes Canadian athletes a huge apology. From that horrid “Are you disappointed?” question to athletes who managed to finish in the top 4th, 5th or 6th of the world. It is said by the COC that our previous conversion factor of medal hopefuls to medals was 30% and in these games we converted 50%. If you examined the Sports Illustrated website they predicted medal winners in all the sport. They predicted 16 of our 18 medals. These were medal contenders who were in reach of a medal, proven through their hard work and effort. For a country whose big deal is hockey, and winter sports, we need to keep all this in perspective. We must specialize rather than do moderately well in everything.

It is a different point of view of achievement in Canada, or it should be. The Chinese wanted medals at all costs. They train children far from family and friends, in school built for this purpose. This is not the Canadian way. We want our athletes to learn to live while participating in their sports. So many who compete in their youth do not go on to achieve Olympic medals, but learn a lifetime message of hard work, dedication and learn not to excuse but to take responsibility for their education and their actions.

CBC needs to take responsibility for the downer it created, as well as other media perpetrators, supported by journalists who bemoaned out lack of medals early on the in the competition. The CBC coverage did a disservice to out athletes. Their ignorance of the sports they covered was revealed during the basketball as the Spanish player who plays for The Raptors was never mentioned. Those doing commentary, as well as those responsible for showing the men’s volleyball teams for hours, neglecting other sports of interest to amateurs, really need to rethink their programming standards. Not all comments and professional blogs were negative. Randy Starkman honoured the spirits of the athletes and parents and coaches. It is such a shame that those posting to media articles could not similarly honour this spirit.

We spent hours looking for our synchronized swim top ten team, as well as our rhythmic gymnastics, while surfing through hours of American track athletes, boxers and other events that were flooding airwaves. I saw way too many butt cheeks with those obviously uncomfortable outfits in beach volleyball and track. The wardrobe malfunction of one of the female athletes as she bounced her way through her exciting finish, was quite a shock. Many such surprises, like the Australian team coming into the lane of the Canadian 8's in the heats, were surprising.

With 10,000 participants and 287 medals some were bound to go home without the prize. Many more appreciated and defended themselves in sorry excuses for an interview, on camera in front of a national audience. How much better would it have been to take some of those Canadians who achieved in the top 20 or 10, and have them analyse their events as the top ten competed in finals. This happened in some sports, but we failed to exploit these top performances, broadcast them, support the personal bests that the swimmer achieved

If we invest in sport, as the media seems to demand, then these questions must be posed to politicians. A political campaign is no time to create policy, however. What will we cut if we increase Olympic funding? Who will benefit? A group of elite athletes and a Canadian public that can take some pride. Is this what Canada is all about? Is it worth investing $8, 16, and then 24 million a year in national pride?

I apologize to the parents and the coaches, as well as all of our athletes. How diminishing it must have been to read the negative comments. You did well. You improved your international performances and achieved a great deal. Good work.