Canadian Olympic Athletes Should Be Ashamed!

I'm probably not the only one that's disappointed by the poor results our athletes have been getting in Beijing, but none of us can say we're entirely surprised. Before the Olympics began Canada had only been projected to win 12-15 medals, and even with the disappointment of not having reached the podium yet as we enter the 5th day of competition, we're still on track to finish with about 10-12 medals, which isn't a disaster. And still, we know that the Canadian Olympic Committee has placed its focus on 2010 in Vancouver with the Own the Podium program, inspired by the ambitious goal of having Canada finish atop the medal standings in the Winter Olympics on home soil. After all, it was only 20 years ago in Calgary when what must have been a first in Olympic history happened (though don't quote me on this) when a host country failed to win a single gold during an entire competition. Surely the COC knows that that wont happen again, but is nevertheless intent on making amends. Something about that sounds refreshingly un-Canadian, and musical to the ears.

No, our ineptitude in the pool, on the water, and in the ring isn't what bothers me. (Speaking of the ring, in 1996 Canada won 4 medals in boxing in Atlanta. In this Olympics, their entire team consisted of ONE athlete who was humiliated 22-2 in his first round match. Absolutely shameful. Wake up, COC!) It's the absolute lack of competitive spirit, and the ambivalent attitudes of 'olympians' who seem more satisfied with getting to The Show and settling for personal bests that irritates me. Time after time over the course of these five days I've seen Elliot Freidman of CBC interview olympian after olympian who shrug their shoulders with apathy, all the while smiling while making excuses for poor performances. (Although, kudos to most of them for actually trying, unlike Brent Hayden, our most accomplished swimmer who pulled out of the 100IM when his time was 3rd fastest in the heats to race the 4x100 Freestyle relay that Canada had NO business thinking it had a shot medaling in). That's what annoys me.

Look at athletes from countries where there is a sporting culture built on success and competitive spirit. I saw a Kazakh weightlifter earlier today who was shedding tears of sadness because she was out-lifted for the gold (and she wasn't even favoured to medal), while the Canadian lifter who finished 4th was ecstatic. While this one example may certainly have considerations that merit it an appropriate reaction where the Canadian is concerned, I find it awfully symptomatic of what is fundamentally wrong with our sporting culture - the majority of our athletes in Beijing don't seem to genuinely care that they don't medal, and rather, seem content to settle for merely making an appearance. They do not possess the competitive spirit that embodies the olympics or that of their competition, nor the swagger or confidence to state outright that their goal is to win the goal medal, rather than to just medal.

Come on Team Canada! It's not too late to salvage these games. I don't care if you come home with no medals, just wipe those stupid smirks off your faces and act like you give a shit! You are disappointing us not by posting embarrassingly poor results, but by being all too apathetically Canadian. I'm talking particularly to you, Brent Hayden!