Olympic Drama

February 17, 2022

I remember when the Olympics were less… controversial? In the 1994 Winter Games, Nancy Kerrigan thought she had locked down gold after her free skate. She was the sentimental favorite after surviving a clubbing by rival Tonya Harding’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly. Then, Oksana Baiul skated and brought the house down. Both women had the performance of their lives. But, despite having the most beautiful Vera Wang costumes in history, Nancy just didn’t have the extra sparkle that set Oksana apart from the rest of the field. There was a lot of debate over the outcome, but it was ultimately undeniable, the best skater won gold.

Tonight, we watched the women’s finals knowing there was controversy hanging over the games. Nothing about the competition had been fair.

In 2020, at the Summer Olympics, U.S. Track & Field star Sha’Carri Richardson tested positive for a banned substance — marijuana. Not considered a “performance enhancing drug,” nevertheless the rules were known to Ms. Richardson ahead of time. She drew sympathy when it was revealed she used the drug while trying to cope with the sudden death of her mother. Many even argued marijuana should no longer be a banned substance since its decriminalization in many places. Nonetheless, the IOC stood firm and Ms. Richardson, who is African-American, was not allowed to compete. She accepted responsibility and graciously accepted the decision.

It was quite a different story for Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, who tested positive for a banned heart medication known to enhance performance. Controversy swirled all week as Ms. Valieva, the favorite to win gold, was allowed to compete. Comparisons were made between the two Olympians, throwing the IOC into an unfavorable light. In the end, all the hypotheticals became moot as 15-year-old Valieva fell repeatedly during her free skate. Seemingly buckling under the pressure of the unrelenting focus.

Whatever the specific rules that apply in this situation, they don’t seem fair. The lives of two young women, who devoted their lives to their sport, were forever altered by a fluid system which is designed to protect athletes, not destroy them. At the very least, the rules should be applied fairly, and yet, more often than not, we see exceptions made for bad players. This needs to stop if we’re ever going to restore integrity to the world of competition.