She became an Olympian technically and did it only for the glory of sitting in local places claiming "I'm an Olympian". She could care less about representation and performance and refused that title to a sub. I don't respect her decision and she's not losing sleep over it because selfish people care less what others think of them. If any participation medal was ever delayed i would hesitate sending hers. But she can check the box Olympian her decision doesn't have my respect. Any sub that was healthy and prepped to start has more of my respect.
This will end up self-policing. The moment she starts talking about being an olympian, people are going to be curious and ask about the experience. Then she is going to have to say that she stopped after a few minutes. Who is ever going to want to admit to that ?
Does she meet the technical definition of an olympian? Yes. That is fact.
Does she meet the implied definition of an olympian - an athlete who competed and gave their best for the country that they represented. I don't think so.
Des and Kara pointed out that she will use this title to leverage income for appearing at future races and events. Am I going to be more excited to be at an event that she is at? No. It is not like Sisson and Lindwurm. It's just not the same, and I think her being broadcast as an olympian is misleading.
That is just my opinion. Regardless of what Kara says, anyone with a brain and a value system can in fact have a thought about this. I recognize that it would have been extremely difficult to not start that race. Kara and Des seem to think that it is totally understandable to be selfish and leave your values at the door if there is money involved, and us mere mortals cannot understand the dilemmas that elites like them face. Plenty of people have turned down lucrative opportunities because of a conflict in values. It's called being true to yourself, and the reason it is a special quality is because it is really, really hard to do sometimes. This world is full of people taking the easy road, and I am disappointed that someone that I once admired advocates taking the easy route. Especially since she has spent so much time on a moral high horse.
Kara and Des are spouting absolute nonsense. She didn't gain income leverage going to that line. She lost it, without question. Companies know what she did. She's going to get healthy and perform again.
The reason we have situations like this is because people have this ridiculous idea that you must actually compete in an event at the Olympics to be an "Olympian." None of the 1980 US team competed in Moscow but go ahead and try to tell those athletes that they are not Olympians.
If you qualify for the team at the Trials, you are an Olympian, simple as that. If people accept this idea, you will be much less likely to see someone start a race while terribly injured and just jog a mile or whatever before dropping out. Injuries/illnesses happen. O'Keefe was just as much an Olympian back in February in Orlando as she is now. A short jog did not change her classification.
Yes - the precedent has been set that if you start you are an Olympian. Dathan Ritzenhein DNF'd his first Olympics in 2008, he was considered an Olympian after.
Really? So, the third string goalkeeper on the US women's soccer team is not an Olympian since she didn't see any match time? Going to be awkward explaining how you got a gold medal despite not being an Olympian.
Pretty sure she doesn't walk around in a parade wearing her medal. Because she was just part of it, but didn't earn it.
Really? So, the third string goalkeeper on the US women's soccer team is not an Olympian since she didn't see any match time? Going to be awkward explaining how you got a gold medal despite not being an Olympian.
Pretty sure she doesn't walk around in a parade wearing her medal. Because she was just part of it, but didn't earn it.
Go tell her she didn’t earn her spot on the team. See how she responds.
None of the 1980 US team competed in Moscow but go ahead and try to tell those athletes that they are not Olympians.
They can call themselves whatever they want. I can’t imagine the pain and frustration they experienced for Jimmy Carter’s very very poor decision. But in my opinion (worth about what you’ve paid for it), no, they’re not Olympians. They did not go to the Olympics. They didn’t compete in the Olympics. They are members of the 1980 US Olympic Team.
If you start your first marathon but don't finish are you a marathoner? No.
But you ran in a marathon. Same thing here. She ran in the Olympics. What if it was a cyclist who crashed and got hurt? No one would say that person wasnt an olympian.