Tag: 2010 Winter Olympics (Page 6 of 7)

      Olympic organizers baffled by VIP no-shows

      February 16, 2010 /

      According to The Vancouver Sun, blocks of VIP seats for the 2010 Winter Olympics remain unfilled during various competitions.

      With tickets going for a premium and people wanting to attend Games, Vanoc’s ticketing vice-president Caley Denton said there is no reason why there should be empty seats during the 2010 Winter Olympics. But at a number of competitions this weekend there were conspicuous blocks of empty seats, irritating spectators and prompting a few to complain to the media.

      Getting people into as many seats as possible was one of the major promises Vanoc made after the 2006 Turin Games, which suffered from a high degree of absenteeism. Cameras panned over large blocks of empty seats set aside for sponsors and International Olympic Committee guests, leaving the impression the events were poorly attended.

      In the years since, Vanoc has carefully controlled access to that seating, whittling down numbers and telling sponsors and IOC groups that they have to make sure they use the seats allocated for them.

      Wow. Even those with primo seats don’t know when they’re supposed to watch the Olympics.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      News, The Olympics

      Lindsey Vonn looking good

      February 15, 2010 /

      Athletically speaking, in this case. During her training run on Monday, American downhill skier Lindsey Vonn had the fastest time on the track’s upper section. Vonn is trying to overcome a bruised shin.

      From FOXSports.com:

      The women will ski the bottom section later Monday, following the conclusion of the men’s downhill race — the first Alpine competition at the Vancouver Games. Vonn finished in 1 minute, 30.75 seconds, which was 0.39 seconds faster than teammate Julia Mancuso.

      Vonn bruised her right shin during practice in Austria on Feb. 2. She stayed off skis for more than a week, but tested the injury — with encouraging results — in an unofficial slalom training run Sunday.

      The shin was a little tender Monday morning, but that was to be expected. And it didn’t seem to hurt her skiing.

      “After skiing four runs of pretty good intensity slalom on salted snow, with the conditions the way they are here now, I think even if you had healthy shins, you’d probably have a sore shin today,” said Thomas Vonn, who serves as a coach and adviser to his wife. “She’s happy to be where she’s at, as opposed to where she was a couple of days ago.”

      This should quell any fears that Vonn won’t compete. The United States is currently atop the leader board with eight total medals (two gold, two silver, four bronze) and Vonn’s presence should add to that count.

      The women’s downhill race is scheduled for Wednesday.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      News, The Olympics

      Georgia’s president understandably frustrated with Olympic officials

      February 13, 2010 /

      Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, like any sensible human, doesn’t agree with Olympic officials that one of his nation’s athletes, luger Nodar Kumartshvili, is responsible for his own death.

      From the Los Angeles Times:

      “There were questions being asked about this place,” President Mikheil Saakashvili said. “There were suggestions that the wall should have been higher there.”

      Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed when he lost control of his sled at about 80 mph, flipped over the lip of the track and slammed into an unpadded roof support post. Saakashvili reacted to suggestions that the 21-year-old athlete lacked the necessary experience to handle the course.

      “They said that what happened yesterday was because of human error,” the president said. “Well, with all due respect … one thing I know for sure, that no sports mistake is supposed to lead to a death.”

      Even some veteran lugers had previously commented on the difficulty of the Whistler track. Officials are now extending the wall along the lip, Saakashvili said.

      “But I think the best news would be if, in the future, they listen more to the grievances of sportsmen,” he said. “And we don’t have to do things in the aftermath.”

      The International Luge Federation and the Vancouver Olympic Committe are the ones who refuse to take responsibility for the tragic accident. They are morons. You see all the crying and the mourning from these guys in their suits, but their deep-seeded insensitivity is just disappointing. All they had to do was express regret for not taking the proper precautions. That’s it.

      Fools.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      The Olympics

      Japanese snowboarder banned from opening ceremonies because of clothes

      February 13, 2010 /

      Japanese snowboarder Kazuhiro Kokubo, who is expected to contend for a medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics, was banned from the welcoming ceremony in Vancouver after Japanese Olympic Committee officials weren’t pleased with his dress attire.

      From Yahoo! Sports:

      With his sagging pants, untucked shirt, and loosened tie, Kokubo looked like any sloppily dressed 21-year-old. But that’s not going to fly. According to one Japanese Olympic Committee official, “It is not the way the Japanese delegation should dress themselves while taxpayers’ money is spent on them.” Uh-oh.

      Kokubo, who is expected to contend for a medal, was banned from a welcoming ceremony in Vancouver after there were complaints about his clothes. The snowboarder followed that up by saying the Olympics are “just another snowboarding event,” and that they are “nothing special.” Uh-oh again.

      When I first read this, my thought was who cares? He’s a 21-year-old snowboard – how else do you expect him to dress?

      But after giving it more thought, it’s nice to see that the Japanese Olympic Committee is taking this seriously. The Olympics are not only about competing for your country, but also representing it both in and out of events. How hard is it to wear your suit the right way when you’re out in public? Especially when taxpayers are footing your bill to compete.

      Trey Kerby of Yahoo! Sports put it best in the above article:

      The anti-authority stance permeates snowboarding, but there are certain times when you have to play nice. One of those times is the Olympics. Your country is paying for you to represent them. You get the chance of a lifetime to do something hardly anyone else gets to do. And it’s all free. Pretty sweet deal. So just go with the flow.

      Well said.

      The Olympics, Video

      Unsafe luge track to reopen with raised wall

      February 13, 2010 /

      On Friday, Georgian luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili crashed and was killed after taking a dangerous turn during a practice run at the Whistler track. The track was immediately closed, but now the International Luge Federation is saying training will resume this weekend after proper adjustments are made to the turn in question. The Vancouver Organizing Committee will reportedly raise the turn’s outside wall and alter its ice profile.

      From The Vancouver Sun:

      Vanoc released a statement saying both the BC Coroners Service and FIL officials had investigated the accident. The federation concluded Kumaritashvili failed to make a correction once he entered the final curve and slammed into the pillar.

      “It appears after a routine run, the athlete came late out of curve 15 and did not compensate properly to make correct entrance into curve 16,” the FIL said. ” This resulted in a late entrance into curve 16 and although the athlete worked to correct the problem he eventually lost control of the sled resulting in the tragic accident.

      “The technical officials of the FIL were able to retrace the path of the athlete and concluded there was no indication that the accident was caused by deficiencies in the track.”

      This, to me, sounds like the FIL is subtly blaming the athlete for his death. They aren’t being crude about it, but the federation certainly isn’t taking any responsibility.

      Also, there must be some “deficiencies in the track” if the VANOC is modifying the track after this tragic accident. In retrospect, I’m sure we’re all wondering why proper precautions weren’t made beforehand. Given the years of preparation, how did this happen? Why wasn’t the wall higher in the first place? Why weren’t those steel poles padded? Did those poles have to be so close to the track?


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      News, The Olympics

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