Olympics-womens skiing

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Did you guys see this story?

https://deadspin.com/the-winter-olympics-feature-2-951-of-the-world-s-greate-1823138678

Hilarious.

[#UnleashSean]

Such a dumb thing to do. I also have a huge issue of being able to compete for a country because ones relatives were from there. Unless you yourself have established permanent residency you shouldn't be allowed to compete.

[GGGG]

A country is allowed to determine who qualifies as a citizen.

[Benny B]

I'm not sure if she should be applauded... she gamed a system, thereby exposing it, thereby making it stronger (in theory), which would otherwise be a noble deed; however, is she not also the same person that ran for governor when she was 19?  This has publicity stunt written all over it.

Be sure to watch for her autobiography... my guess is that she'll be announcing the release date in the next few weeks.

[GGGG]

The Olympic system has been gamed like this for years.  It's not new.  She isn't taking anyone else's spot.  No harm done.

[Pakuni]

The Olympic system has been gamed like this for years.  It's not new.  She isn't taking anyone else's spot.  No harm done.

Right. If Hungary had a better freestyle skier, she'd get the spot instead of Swaney.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

she also "competed" on the Venezuelan skeleton team a few years ago.  Worldly broad, if you ask me.

[mu03eng]

Question is how is she funding these wordly travels?

[GooooMarquette]

Anyone who is upset about it can certainly try out for the Venezuelan ski team....

And watching her ski is kinda like watching Eddy the Eagle jump.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Question is how is she funding these wordly travels?

bitcoin, a'ina?

[JWags85]

The announcer commentary is my favorite part.  So gentle and complimentary.

[warriorchick]

Whatever happens, they better leave the Tongan guy alone.

[GGGG]

Article on her.

https://sports.yahoo.com/liz-swaney-worst-olympian-actually-might-best-012747577.html

[GooooMarquette]

Whatever happens, they better leave the Tongan guy alone.

 

(I would have used the laugh so hard I'm crying emoji, but they don't have it here.)

[Benny B]

Anyone who is upset about it can certainly try out for the Venezuelan ski team....

And watching her ski is kinda like watching Eddy the Eagle jump.

Difference is that Eddy the Eagle actually jumped. 

[GooooMarquette]

Difference is that Eddy the Eagle actually jumped.

Well...sorta.

[Herman Cain]

Whatever happens, they better leave the Tongan guy alone.

Luke will be playing for Armenia in the Olympics......

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Difference is that Eddy the Eagle actually jumped.

If I'm gonna scam my way into the Olympics, it's not going to be in a sport with highly probable death, such as ski jumping.

[GooooMarquette]

If I'm gonna scam my way into the Olympics, it's not going to be in a sport with highly probable death, such as ski jumping.

Maybe form a Malaysian curling team, eh?

[Tugg Speedman]

If I'm gonna scam my way into the Olympics, it's not going to be in a sport with highly probable death, such as ski jumping.

She did not scam.  She followed the rules. 

Criticize those that made the rules, not those that used them to their advantage.

[Lennys Tap]

She did not scam.  She followed the rules. 

Criticize those that made the rules, not those that used them to their advantage.

Letter of the law? Check.

Spirit of the law? No way.

Criticize the lawmakers for unintentionally creating a loophole she could walk through? OK, but criticize her for making a mockery of "her sport", her competitors and the Olympics.

[GGGG]

Luke will be playing for Armenia in the Olympics......

It would be highly unlikely that Armenia qualifies for the Olympics.  They didn't even make the European qualification round for the 2019 Euros, which means they would have to enter an extra qualification round to make the Olympics. 

[GGGG]

Letter of the law? Check.

Spirit of the law? No way.

Criticize the lawmakers for unintentionally creating a loophole she could walk through? OK, but criticize her for making a mockery of "her sport", her competitors and the Olympics.

Unintentionally?  Actually the Olympics organizers know that these loopholes exist and encourage countries who aren't highly represented to participate.  They want to expand participation.  Why do you think there was a cross country skier from Mexico and bobsledders from Nigeria?

And she is hardly making a mockery of her sport.  This happens at every Olympics and no one is really outraged about it.

[warriorchick]

The first time an Olympics posted  the results of all participants on the internet , I was surprised to find that as a swimmer, my best time would have been faster than at least a couple of dozen women who swam in the 100m freestyle. As a frame of reference, I was an above-average club swimmer who didn't want to make the time commitment necessary to train at the next level.

My guess is that there are certain events that any country can participate in without qualifying, and this was one of them. And based on some of the times posted, there was no way that person was the fastest swimmer in that country. You would have a pretty decent chance of plucking a person off the street who would have been faster. 

It wouldn't surprise me at all if I these participants were related to highly connected people in their country, and their appointment to their Olympic team was political. And if that is the case, that is much more of a scam than a woman who was savvy enough on her own to use the rules to her advantage. You might not like it or agree with it, but she qualified fair and square.  She wasn't at the Olympics because her dad was the Minister of Whatever in some banana republic.

[Spotcheck Billy]

The first time an Olympics posted  the results of all participants on the internet , I was surprised to find that as a swimmer, my best time would have been faster than at least a couple of dozen women who swam in the 100m freestyle. As a frame of reference, I was an above-average club swimmer who didn't want to make the time commitment necessary to train at the next level.

My guess is that there are certain events that any country can participate in without qualifying, and this was one of them. And based on some of the times posted, there was no way that person was the fastest swimmer in that country. You would have a pretty decent chance of plucking a person off the street who would have been faster. 

It wouldn't surprise me at all if I these participants were related to highly connected people in their country, and their appointment to their Olympic team was political. And if that is the case, that is much more of a scam than a woman who was savvy enough on her own to use the rules to her advantage.

She did qualify by having a number of top 10 finishes on the circuit. She finished in the top 10 primarily because there were less than 10 participants. She usually targeted competitions that the top women were skipping for higher level contests. She gamed the system, kudos to her IMO. Let them change the system if they want like they did after Eddy the Eagle.