Well finished Canada you Own The Odium

Simon Barnes, Chief Sports Writer & , : {}

It is tough to contend either Canadas Own The Podium programme has been a bigger mess in conditions of competition or open relations. Gold award in both categories, I think.

The thought was for Canada to arise as friendly hosts of the Winter Olympics and stately winners as well. Alas, the Canadians have come conflicting as a garland of mean-spirited, chippy, unsporting losers.

Things have come to a flattering pass when you find yourself rooting for the United States. But I unequivocally have been entertaining for stars and stripes rather than maple leaves. The Canadian shenanigans in Vancouver have alienated the complete world.

But prior to I get stranded in, I would similar to to contend that I dont have a singular anti-Canadian proton in my body. I customarily hatred their Own The Podium campaign. I went to British Columbia eighteen months back. I saw marvellous countryside, had close-up encounters with dual class of bear and one class of whale and met good people. Cant wait for for to go back.

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But that Own The Podium things has been a calamity. For a start, it hasnt delivered. The settled target was to put Canada on tip of the list in conditions of sum medals won. As I write, they have customarily struggled in to third. The delegate aim, not stated, was to show those conceited bastards the alternative side of the limit how most they dont know. The United States are approach ahead, encountering the lead with Germany.

The vigour of expectancy on home athletes at any Olympic Games is colossal: ask Cathy Freeman, ask Konstantinos Kenteris and Katerina Thanou, ask Liu Xiang. Canadas debate simply combined to the pressure. Hardly startling that so most of them choked.

Mellisa Hollingsworth had a shocker in the skeleton, Charles Hamelin struggled in short-track, Manuel Osborne-Paradis blew his chances in the mountainous skiing, Chris Del Bosco unsuccessful in ski cross. There have been successes, but not sufficient to put Canada on top. Ashleigh McIvor was overwhelming in the womens ski cranky and the ice-dance pair, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, put together a movement of genuine beauty. The women bobbers were brilliant. No one with sporting red blood could be insulted these bullion medals: customarily prerogative for wealthy performances.

But Own The Podium, a debate put together with C$117 million (about �72 million) from federal, provincial, territorial and corporate money, has been a disaster in conditions of medals. In short, it got what it deserved. It deserved to destroy since it was recognised in bad sportsmanship and elementary envy.

The pretension has regularly been the greatest problem, for the athletes it saved and for the summary it gave to the world. It told us: we are holding the worlds greatest party. Please come. But we intend to eat all the jelly.

The debate has been strident, scathing and insulting. Normally, the universe takes happiness in the success of the home athletes. Freemans run in Sydney was as poetic a bit of competition as Ive seen, and Guo Jingjing, the diver diva, was smashing in Beijing. But the universe has found it tough to suffer Canadas successes.

That phrase. Own it. Its not a Canadianism. Its an Americanism. Its a pretty complicated bit of lingo and expresses a rarely American reduction of sure meditative and equivocal arrogance. By utilizing this phrase, Canada was unambiguously receiving on the big neighbour.

America is not a theme Canadians are unconditionally receptive about. Just as you can have a superb and courteous review with a sure sort of Scot until you discuss England, the same is loyal with sure Canadians and the US. In such events, the the chippy one who ends up seeking stupid in each eye save his own.

That is one of the elemental flaws with Own The Podium: it creates the would-be lectern owners see small-minded. In Melbourne the alternative week, where I was examination the Andy Murray-Roger Federer final, I beyond dual Scots articulate about an Englishwoman who had the gall to hearten for Federer: She is all Ive been brought up to hate. Im happy to contend that I was not brought up to hatred the Scots. Or the Canadians, or any one else. The thought of being brought up in rancour is unfamiliar to English nature. No disbelief we have faults in the conflicting direction, but we have a really low toleration of chippiness.

If the debate had been called, say, Canadian Excellence, it would have been improved for all concerned. But as things are, it competence customarily as well have been called Up Yours America.

And afterwards we come to the subject of sportsmanship. Own The Podium didnt stop at assisting Canadians. It additionally attempted to impede everybody else. Access to use sites was quite limited. These Games are for Canadians, not the world.

In a small cases this has been counter-productive. Non-Canadian precision partners were banned to sight with Canadians. This didnt mistreat Aksel Lund Svindal, of Norway, who customarily trains in Canada but couldnt. He won the super hulk slalom anyway; his Canadian precision partners competence have benefited from his participation and advice.

But really, what a approach to run a tellurian event. A host shouldnt provide his guest as gate-crashers. This avaricious and inhospitable suggestion has been an nauseous aspect of Vancouver. The idealisation target of these Games, any Games, is tellurian value and tellurian joy, not provincial feat and internal showing off rights.

The Canadians have taken an assertive line towards any criticism. This kneejerk greeting is both small-minded and small-nation. It is not antagonistic to point out an error, quite when the blunder is angrily bearing in your face.

It is prevalent at the Olympics to contend that the republic holding them has come of age. China came of age in 2008; Australia came of age with the Sydney Games of 2000. In fact, Australia additionally came of age with the Melbourne Games of 1956; thats since this regard has turn an Olympic custom.

But Canada has not come of age in Vancouver 2010. Canada has regressed in to a sneering but in conclusion insufficient adolescence. Its been well, rather homely on the whole.

Theres a doctrine for everybody in competition here. Particularly, the a doctrine for the subsequent nation to hold the Olympics. This happens to be Britain. As you might have heard, they take place in London in 2012. Like each host country, Britain wants to win lots of poetic medals and millions of pounds are being invested in their pursuit.

So here, in summary, are the lessons Britain and London contingency sense from the Winter Games of 2010.

Seek victory, yes, but do so with graciousness, sportsmanship and, if possible, a small self-deprecating humour. Be hospitable. Know that value is what counts in sport. Remember that this is the worlds celebration that happens to take place in London, not Londons celebration that the universe has the payoff of attending.

The lessons contingency be learnt, in good humility, by everybody involved, from right away until the last contestant and the last witness have held the craft home.

And heres an additional lesson: at all costs, equivocate poor American catchphrases. Own The Podium? Own full of blood goal, some-more like.