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Female ski jumpers set to confront IOC

JONATHAN WOODWARD

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 1:43 PM EDT 20/12/06

Canadian athletes taking Olympic snub to rights tribunal ...Read the full article

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  1. travis colley from calgary, Canada writes: Good!
  2. douglas yates from North Lancaster, Canada writes: I agree with the girls. From the stats shown in this article there is no grounds for not letting them compete. Hope they achive their dreams.
  3. Some Guy from Canada writes: It sounds incredible that there isn't a ski jumping event for women. I thought the Olympics were for everyone. But I can't help but wonder if there are any men's events cancelled because of not having enough
    participants. This is a question I feel the media should have asked.
  4. Diana Torrens from Luxembourg writes: You go, girls!
  5. Not the Alliance from In my opinion, the Harper Gov't is Incompetent, Canada writes: The IOC is more concerned with marketing. Ski Cross, because of the exposure from Xtreme games, etc is a better sell, even though the arguments about depth of competition would exclude it. It's a shame though, as woman's ski jumping fulfills the Olympic credo.
  6. G len from Halifax, Canada writes: It's too bad for these ranked canadian girls. Unfortunately the IOC makes decisions based on number of countries and participants competing currently, not based on what may happen in 4 years. And there is a limit any one country can send to the Olympics. So the fact that there are 9 canadian girls really counts as 1 country with participants. 9 countries with participants does not an olympic event make. This really is too bad too, as we could be the only country to host an olympic games and never win a gold medal 2 times (Calgary was the first time). I am surprised more girls don't do this must really be like parachuting without the parachute.
  7. Casey Circelli from Canada writes: As a father, it's aweful tough raising a daughter and a son to respect members of the opposite sex, teach gender equality and to avoid discrimination in general - the world's full of crazy wars and hate as it is. When the organizers of the event that will host the largest number of role-models in one place in this country's history choose to set the clock back 50 years, what the hell kind of message are we sending?

    This isn't a women only issue. It'd be nice to see some of the men's team athletes voice their support, maybe threaten to boycott or something. This is BS.
  8. K . from Canada, Canada writes: Bravo! Take notice Canada. More of us should take such a position and stand against discrimination.

    Hopefully the Commission won’t take 10 yrs to do its job and render a decision.
  9. Chris Perry from Bristol, United Kingdom writes: So we have 14 nations that have female ski jumpers ... how many nations play womens hockey? and how many of these are competitive 2 or 3!! Let's see a petition to the IOC by the people of the 14 nations. It's the IOC that needs to be taken to court for sexual discrimination.

    Does anybody remember Eddie the Eagle at the Calgary Olympics? I bet these girls can probably jump further.
  10. Bill McGuire from Hamilton, Canada writes: The U,S, also does not support the IOC on this one, and have named a woman to their ski jumping team for the first time ever. Once they have a chance to win gold, the IOC will allow the sport into the olympics. In the meantime, go girls go. Best of luck to you.
  11. Dave Medich from Windsor, Canada writes: This is ridiculous! Who will support transgender ski jumpers?
  12. Michael Lecours from Ontario, Canada writes: Very simple....you cancel the men event or cancel the funding or just allow the women....Are we back to the beginning of ages? By the way, those who made that decision should be fired....now. All leaders of other disciplines should get together..let's start with all the other females, if men are too lazy or careless to initiate the move. Time for action. Where is Harper and where are our great politicians. For once, Canada can show the world that we stand on guard for something...not only by singing.
  13. Mike Z from Saskatoon, Canada writes: Just to play the devil's advocate, what if the IOC is telling the truth about the level of international interest and competition available? The Olympics does not have infinite time, space, and money -- it is simply not possible to have every event possible. If this is simply a matter of discrimination than by all means, take them to 'court', but if this is a matter of discretion instead, then let's take a good look at it instead of reacting out of knee-jerk political correctness.
  14. Andrew H. from Toronto, Canada writes: So where can we write to voice our support for these young women? As for #13 Mike Z: have you wondered perhaps the IOC is being self-perpetuating with a circular argument by barring Olympic competition in this category based on the fact that not enough women are in the sport that has banned women since 1924?
  15. Tomoka Tsuhara from Calgary, Canada writes: I am surprised that the government is putting such restrictions. These girls could very well win gold medals or something which will be a good thing for Canada. In last year's (or was it this year?) witer's game, ladies did very well, and many won more medals than male athletes. Why put an extra restriction?
  16. R W from Ottawa, Canada writes: Two fundamental criteria should exist for all sports in the Olympics. First they must be available to both men and women and second the outcome must not be determined by subjective judging. Right now, ski jumping fails on both of those. So let the ladies in and get rid of the style points and away we go.
  17. Paul Jones from kitchener, Canada writes: good post #13. i fully support the inclusion of women in this event should they have the required level of participants. if they dont then they shouldnt be angry at the men receiving funding - these people want to support Canada at the Olympics, just because the level of participants isnt high enough for the women is no reason to block funding for the men. instead of holding men in contempt (as it would appear some of the above posters do) and complaining to Canada, perhaps you should do the unselfish thing and try to change the system of the IOC by using (wait for it) THE SYSTEM! by initiating a challenge at the IOC you bring this problem to internatioal attention, as well as having the chance to actually change something. even if Canada relents and decides to allow the event in 2010, that doesnt fix things, or start the process to change things, for future generations - which is why i find it selfish to go to Canada and complain to have the rules changed this ONE time. which is all that can be accomplished with the route being taken.

    i find this to be true of many womens issues. the mentality seems to be take it to the court to get yours. but what about everyone else? instead of forcing legislation on people that forces them not to choose the best, but the most fair, perhaps women should try to get more women interested in events/jobs where the gender gap is wide. whining and expecting other people to change things to appease you is selfish, foolish, and in the end self-defeating. standing up for women doesnt neccessarily mean standing against men, though you wouldnt be able to tell by some of the posts here.

    i hope these girls get to compete, it would be a great experience.
  18. Blair Langmuir from Wloo, Canada writes: Maybe we should tell the IOC to take their 2010 winter games somewhere else?
  19. bobby womack from toronto, Canada writes:
    The story doesn't say how many women world-wide are actually involved in competitive ski jumping. I saw something online that said it was about 120. That's not enough for an Olympics sport.
    And if you search online, you'll see the IOC said it was a possibility for the 2014 games and they already have a world championship. They just have to grow the sport like anything else that wants to get into the Olympics.
  20. Matthew K from Halifax, Canada writes: The entire olympics is based on discrimination... there should not be male and female sports. If everyone and every sex is equal to one another which is what most people believe then abolish male and female competitions and let then go head to head in every competition.

    Why can a women play mans hockey, but a man can not play womens hockey...
  21. seeymore butts from Calgary, Canada writes: What is interesting here is that in promoting 'ski-cross' skiing is AGAIN doing whatever it can to remain interesting by emulating snowboarding. Give it a rest, skiing is like lawn-bowling as a spectator sport. I know countless snowboarders who 'used to ski' but I have yet to meet a skiier who has given up snowboarding. Why?? Because skiing is just a sad, dumb sport.
  22. Lorne Cline from Oshawa, Canada writes: For me it's clear. Public money should not be used to create a venue that exludes any of our citizens from the opportunity to use. If the Women can't use it, then it should not be built for the Men. No venue, no discrimination. The IOC would back down.
  23. chris jenkins from Free the West, Canada writes: The Olympics do not want to start handing out gold medals in sports where there are probably less than a hundred participants worldwide. This is why the Winter Olympics are considered to be a joke beside the Summer Olympics where the sports really are competitive. Curling anyone?
  24. J B from Canada writes: Can anyone tell me why women were excluded from this sport in the first place?
  25. Stewart Mawdsley from Fort Smith, NWT, Canada writes: There's more than enough time to add a women's event to the ski jumping schedule. The men actually get TWO events, the 90m and 120m hill, plus the ridiculous sport of nordic combined (again pointing out the Euro-centric navel gazing nature of the IOC). Nordic combined combines X-country skiing and ski jumping....how logical. Similar to modern pentathlon in the summer Olympics (running, swimming, fencing, horseback riding, cycling) for which there is ALSO no female event.

    BUt by all means give the Europeans their obscure sports at the expense of women- and if we were able to count as many little countries as Andorra, Leichenstein, etc. then we'd consider these sports more competitive as well. Even the entire combined population of the Scandinavian countries is less than Canada's. This is a stupid decision by the IOC, which we all know is littered with fat cats, mostly European.
  26. Sarcastic Quip from Toronto, Canada writes: #21 Get with it.
    I suppose that snowboard Super Gcame before the skiing Super G
    Besides, everyone knows that snow boarding is just a major rip off of the luge.

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