Well, it took barely a week…

Olympic Medalswhich would YOU prefer?

A few days ago I wrote a post regarding the Olympics and my disgust at the whining that inevitably comes with it.  While the whining itself isn’t necessarily new, it has become annoyingly more commonplace.

Surprise, surprise, after barely a week of competition, we have our first whiner.  However, this time it’s from Sweden.

It’s one thing to disagree with a judge’s decision.  It one thing to lodge a formal protest based upon that judgment.  It’s something else entirely to physically have to be restrained from attacking the judge, and then throwing down your medal in the middle of the damn ceremony.

His only quote on record:  “This will be my last match. I wanted to take gold, so I consider this Olympics a failure”

Sweden sent their “golden boy” to the games with the same hopes that a LOT of other countries and athletes have; to win a gold medal.  However when he didn’t win, he immediately cried foul and claimed the match was rigged.  After that he proceeded to act the same way my three year old does when she doesn’t get the cookie she wanted.

You went to the games and you won a bronze medal?  Oh the horror, you poor abused baby….

This is what disgusts me.  Some athletes today have this assumption that a lifetime of training should automatically guarantee results.  That’s not the way it works, and it never has been.  You didn’t spend that lifetime working hard as hard as you did to win a gold medal; you spent it getting to the games in the first place.  After you get there, it all comes down to the match and how well you do compared to the other guys (who have also spent a lifetime working hard to get there).

Here’s one little factoid that always gets overlooked:  Each country has a finite number of slots they can fill that make up their overall Olympic team.  So, for each person who makes it, there are probably dozens who don’t.  Sometimes, not making the team has nothing to do with whether they’re good enough.  A lot of people have Olympic dreams, and when you go to compete, you are the embodiment of those.  Just being selected and going to the games is itself a high honor and comes with the responsibility to behave in a dignified manner, not only for the country that sent you but for all the other athletes who didn’t make the cut.

What makes this even more appalling is that the country of Sweden doesn’t have the good sense to be embarrassed by any of this.  They’re siding with the wrestler and actually defending his behavior, effectively adopting the poor image he is exhibiting to the world.  Let’s reiterate, we are not talking about merely disagreeing with a judge, we are talking about the equivalent of stamping his feet, and acting like a spoiled brat on national television.

The “Olympic ideal” is about more than demonstrating physical prowess, it’s also about showing grace under pressure and good sportsmanship.  When looked at from that perspective, Sweden deserves to come in dead last.

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