Women's ski jumping will not be included in the 2010 Winter Olympic games in Vancouver and a few Canadian women are making a stand. The Olympic committee's decision for not keeping the event was that there are too few women ski jumpers and to have that event present in the games would dilute medals that could be given to other athletes in more popular events. These women are arguing that during the 2007-2008 season there were 99 women ski jumpers representing 15 countries on the International Ski Federation's Centennial Cup elite-level tour. Take that number in comparison to events that are already being held at the games which have participation at 34 women from 10 countries fro snowboard cross, 3o women from 11 nations for skier cross, and 26 women from 13 nations for bobsled. Why won't they let these women compete?
A court date has been set for these ladies to prove their point against the Vancouver Olmypic Games Organizing Committee (VANOC) and get their sport back on the game schedule. The ladies will go before the Canadian Supreme Court on April 20, 2009 in British Columbia. I hope that they get enough support and strength to ride this out. They should get a chance to compete, just like everyone else.
Cortney Dupies
2 comments:
I am posting to this blog because i use to work at a ski resort as ski patrol for a year or so. While working there i was able to see the types of people who ski competitively as well as snowboard competitively. While on the hill i noticed how snowboarders often crowed the jumps and features making it hard for the skiers to practice, not only this but the snowboarders often saw themselves as the social elite on the hill, which was not the case. Of these people practicing, women were few to come by. It seems as if men dominate this area at least 4:1. I feel that women may be discouraged from this sport because of the competitivenes shown on the hill by the men as well as the cowding of the snowboarders.
Ski Jumping at the resort i worked at was only set up for a fraction of the season, while the features and pipes for snowboarders were always redily available. I don't agree with Ski Jumping to be taken out of the Olympic Games, especially when there are other sports that are more so under represnted. I feel that something needs to be done so that skiers have the same opportunity as the boarders. I wish the best of luck to the Canadian women who are making the stand. They deserve to be equally treated.
I just left this blog and forgot my information. I'm the one who worked as ski patrol.
Jessica Franklin kin 338I
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