IOC OKs Skicross for 2010 Olympics, Not Women’s Ski Jumping

The International Olympic Committee met in Kuwait City yesterday and decided that the 2010 games will feature skicross but not women’s ski jumping. Precisely why the IOC met in one of the world’s hottest places to discuss snow sports remains a mystery. Also a mystery is why there will be no team luge or team Alpine skiing, and of course, the dreadful decision not to have individual curling.

Skicross is one of the events already on the International Ski Federation's World Cup freestyle circuit. It is similar to the snowboard cross that got included at the Turin games earlier this year. The AP explains that “Skicross involves groups of skiers racing each other to the bottom of a course with jumps, rollers, banks and other man-made and natural terrain features.” No doubt this will have all of the skicross competitors “totally stoked, dude.”

Less fathomable is the decision not to have women’s ski jumping. Men’s ski jumping has been part of the Winter Games since the games began. Ski jumping and the Nordic combined are the only events that men have that the women don’t. The Canadian women’s ski jumping team sent a letter to the IOC asking that it “embrace this opportunity to remove the final barrier to equal participation by women at the Vancouver Olympics.” Unfortunately, IOC vice president Gunilla Lindberg was of the opinion that, “It’s still not ready. In our analysis, there are not enough athletes and not enough countries. They have to work with the international ski federation and Nordic combined to be ready for 2014.” This argument may hold water, but by 2014, there are some very talented athletes who will no longer be in their primes. Justice delayed etc.

The decision not to have team luge and team Alpine skiing strikes one as arbitrary. After all, luge itself is rather dubious as a sport. Going down an ice track on a turbo-charged kid’s sled seems more a form of suicide; medals are awarded to the unsuccessful. If there’s Alpine skiing for individuals, why not have teams? Even sports best played solo (golf and tennis to name two) can be quite enjoyable as team events.

That brings one to curling and the appalling decision to ignore individual curling as an Olympic sport. Throwing the stones into the house, brushing to get the right curl, and all the rest that go into the game is much easier in a team environment. An individual who embodies all that talent and wisdom deserves his own event. Besides, it’s the only winter sport one can play while drinking beer, which makes it better than skicross -- fewer spills.

© Copyright 2006 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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