Vonn in Vancouver: Missin' the Medal Attitude

I like the Olympics. A lot. My TV is constantly tuned into NBC, much to the chagrin of my roommate, who learns about a new sport every day. My iPod has the Olympics app, keeping me up to date on the events and news, even when I’m walking between classes. The only news that seems to catch my eye is that related to the Vancouver Games. For two weeks, my entire attention span is focused on the Olympics.


Perhaps it’s because they only come around so often, or that for two weeks, the world is concentrating on one single news story. The spotlight shifts to Vancouver and the world gives a decent attempt at unity and good sportsmanship. The athletes embark on the trip of a lifetime and hope to forego their individual glory for that of their country. Unfortunately, some athletes don't. All the hype surrounding them, the unique experiences, and the appeal of the gold medal hanging around their necks is just too much.


Sitting with my mom watching the women's Super-G competition on a Saturday night, I was impressed by the skill. Racing down a course they hadn't run before at inspiring speeds, and wiping out, leaving it all on the course was in and of itself an accomplishment in my eyes. And then there was Lindsey Vonn. Celebrating a time of 1:20.88, Vonn thought she had the gold locked up. Following Vonn was Tina Maze of Slovenia, who edged out the top time with a mark of 1:20.63. NBC’s omnipresent cameras panned to Vonn, seen with jaw dropped in disbelief. We were then in disbelief. This superstar Olympian, supposed to represent the spirit of the Games, didn’t exhibit a professional attitude, and didn’t exude behavior worthy of the Olympic spirit. A world-class athlete should show sportsmanship and class, but Vonn instead demonstrated that she thought no one was good enough to top her. Winning the bronze medal, any medal for that matter, at the Olympics, should be the cherished achievement of a lifetime, not a right.


This hasn’t been Vonn’s only misstep over the course of the Games, either. According to a TIME Magazine article, the Tiger Woods press conference was broadcast in the Team USA House in Vancouver while Vonn was giving an interview. In the presence of the American media, she joked, "Tiger, you're like my idol, and I too have a sex problem. That would be freaking funny." While athletes are observers of the same events the general public observes, they have the responsibility to uphold the Olympic ideals we aspire to. Perhaps mocking Tiger in public was an opinion she should have kept to herself. The focus, rather, should be on her success and that of Team USA. These athletes are role models, model citizens, and constantly in the public eye.


At international events with such upstanding caliber and character as the Olympic Games, what kind of athletes should we want representing our country? America, known for its bold successes and integrity, has recently seen a shift in the attitude its athletes emanate. Some Americans are embarrassed by this behavior, others indifferent, but certainly, a change must be made to preserve to spirit of the international event we all cherish as a global community.