Winter Games Day -7

[joggerjayne]

Woo hoooooo!!!!!

It's just one week until the greatest sporting event on the planet.

But I am not in good spirits this morning. I'm really miffed about the whole Emily Sarsfield fiasco.

Emily is a Freestyle skier, who competes in Ski Cross. She narrowly missed the cut for the Olympics. The criteria included being ranked in the World Top 32. Emily is ranked 34. So the British Olympic Association could not select her for the Games.

However, some skiers ranked in the Top 32 have been ineligible to compete, for other reasons. So ... Yaaayyy!! ... Emily (and several skiers from other countries, who are ranked lower than Emily), received a formal invitation to compete in the Games from the International Ski Federation.

Which meant that the British Olympic Association could, finally, select Emily for the Olympics.

But ... they haven't. They have issued some nonsense statement about the agreement between the BOA and the British Ski and Snowboard Association not allowing for the acceptance of 'hand-back' places. What a load of crap. We have a chance to enter a skier in the Ski Cross, and the British Olympic Association won't let her go.

All the other countries are sending their skiers who received ISF invitations.

Anything can happen in Ski Cross. There are jumps, and bumps, and collisions. The top skiers in the world can take tumbles. The lower ranked skiers can have a good day and finish well. It sets an unhealthy precedent to not send your top athletes just because you don't think they can win. If that happened at the Summer Games, ninety percent of the athletes wouldn't be there.

Grrr! Okay, that's it. Rant over.

[mushroom25]

she's a real sweetie
http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Emily+Sarsfield/Team+GB+Winter+Olympic+Media+Summit/cV9X9fogCEg

[Maydup]

Whaaaaaat? Outrageous, where do I sign the petition?

[joggerjayne]

Maydup ... here!

https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/british-olympic-organisation-accept-emily-sarsfield-s-invitation-from-fis-to-participate-in-the-ski-cross-event-at-the-2014-winter-olympics-in-sochi

[joggerjayne]

Mushers, she's lovely. She's dedicated, committed, hard training.

[joggerjayne]

Actually, rant not over.

This sends a ridiculous message to young athletes. Don't bother with events if you can't beat overseas competitors, because we are not going to enter you in competitions.

Frankly, British athletics might as well abandon about half of our sports events, and only learn the ones we think we can win.

It's a mardy sulk by the BOA. "If we can't win, were not going to play".

Who runs the British Olympic Association? A bunch of twelve year olds?

[mushroom25]

this 12 year old
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/0o-34EKASFk/Olympics+Opening+Day+Royals+Olympics/Sovz62eWRoO/Princess+Anne

and this 12 year old
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9336573/London-2012-Olympics-Sebastian-Coe-strongly-denies-Greek-black-market-boasts-as-IOC-opens-investigation.html

[Maydup]

Thanks JJ, I'll do that as soon as I get to work.

I don't understand why anyone/organisation would want to deny someone a place at the games.

[joggerjayne]

Mushers ...

Is that be the same Seb Coe who went to the Moscow Games, despite the boycott, because he believed that competing in the Olympics was the fulfilment of a dream, and that nothing shouldnstandnin the way of that sporting dream?

That Seb Coe?

The officials didn't want him to go,mbecause of the boycott, but he thought that no athlete should be deprived of the opportunity to take part in the Games?

That Seb Coe?

Well, now I'm glad that Steve Ovett from Brighton whupped his butt in the 800m.

[joggerjayne]

There were loads of British athletes at London 2012 who had no real hope of winning, and yet ... he let them compete.

[joggerjayne]

Today, we have a "One For The Boys" special ...

Emily Sarsfield, Team GB (sorry, "not allowed" on to Team GB) skier, our top Ski Cross competitor, who SHOULD be going to Sochi.

http://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/ad_121452044-e1385499594787.jpg

http://www.sportable.is/DJ/images/questionImg/13481_bg.jpg

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02800/emily1_2800049k.jpg

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/resources/images/2464973/

http://ladiesskiclub.org/galleries/emily-sarsfield-gallery/fullsize/069_2.jpg

[murraymints]

JJ you better get your skis and get over there in case they need you....like Alf tupper with his spikes ! Lol...

[joggerjayne]

Crikey, I don't remember Alf Tupper.

Hang on ...

[joggerjayne]

Oh, I see, he was fictional.

[murraymints]

Tupper of the track....The Beano or was it The Dandy....welder by day ...super sprinter at other times with a penchant for fish and chips !!

[murraymints]

It was the victor....my brothers comic

[murraymints]

He saved the day many a time....he IS real JJ ....lol

[joggerjayne]

Oh, right. Yes, he's real.

:0/

Fish and chips is not a conventional diet for top sprinters.

[jno]

didn't this happen days ago? I'd been wondering why you were overlooking Emily's case.

At this rate you won't be posting about Amanda Knox till March.

[sunny-dave]

But remember JJ - every athlete that goes means (at least) one less fat bum in in acrylic suit (aka the BOA hangers on) getting their noses in the Sochi trough ... SebCo may even have to travel business instead of first.

[joggerjayne]

I'm not going to post about AK. We all have our views. It's all been said before. Nobody will be swayed.

However, now you mention it, I do feel bad about taking so long to post about Emily.

:0(