Accountability

I was going to stay away from the whole topic of the Olympics because there seems to be way too much negativity in the media already. You’ve gotta love these media types, many who never excelled at any sport, who rag on the athletes and are jumping the Canadian bandwagon. As far as I am concerned, hand in your citizenship at the border and be on your way. Our athletes are not going there to lose. We must be proud and supportive.

Now if you must lay blame and accountability, heap it on the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Own the Podium folks.

Check this out. $110 million was spent on this Own the Podium program ($66 million our tax dollars). These guys then spread the money out where they saw fit (visit this site to see the funding breakdown – http://www.ownthepodium2010.com/Funding/winter_sports.aspx). Realize why we were non-existent in ski jumping? There are lots of stories from athletes about the tight restrictions made by the organization – preventing them from training they way they wanted.

Most of our Olympic athletes constantly deal with the problems of trying to get the quality training and nutrition they need, along with working to make ends meet. According to my math, there was more than enough money to take care of our athletes so that they didn’t need to be distracted or occupied by thoughts of wondering how they were going to make next month’s rent.

So lets get the money where it needs to go to – the athletes. We need to get rid of the waste that is spent on the administration of these programs (http://www.ownthepodium2010.com/About/structure.aspx). I am guessing these people are not all volunteers – if they are then my apologies. But at any rate my point still stands. Show the athletes the money!

We’ve got 206 athletes on the Canadian Winter Olympic Team (183 if you take away 23 for the professional hockey players), so if you split up $110 million equally that is $601 092 for each athlete, or $150 273 each year for 4 years. That should take care of things, or at least be a heck of a lot better than they are now. I doubt they are getting anywhere close to this. This would not be a free handout by the way. In return for the money the athletes need to do school visits, speaking engagements, etc.

Until we get some real leadership at the COC (Why not put more pressure on our athletes with some more ridiculous statements? And thanks for giving up on them today.), gain ownership of our money, and make sure it is spent properly, and then maybe we can think about “owning the podium.”

Go Team Canada! You’ve still got six more days to show your stuff. Medals or no medals. But I certainly hope you make your naysayers eat large servings of crow.

Roger