Anni Arkko
At the Olympics, a demeaning practice can be seen again, which Finland also falls victim to, writes Anni Arkko.
The female lions play a top match at the Olympics before the games officially even start. Mika KylmÀniemi / Finnish Ice Hockey Federation
The Winter Olympics start on February 6, announced almost everywhere. Even on the event’s official website.
Except they don’t start.
At the Olympics, once again, a humiliating practice is used, which Finland also falls victim to. How many people knew that the Lionesses will start the Olympic tournament with a top game against Canada before the entire Olympics have even officially opened?
So.
Rene Rinnekangas represents Finland at the Olympics. The job starts before the opening of the games. EPA / AOP
The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games will take place in Milan on Friday, February 6, but the competition events start in the boot country already two days earlier.
On the first day, the program includes curling, but on Thursday, February 5, there are already several Finns on the stage. In addition to the women’s ice hockey Finland-Canada match, the men’s snowboarding big air qualifier will be contested on Thursday.
Finland’s Rene Rinnekangas, who recently celebrated the victory of the knuckle huck trick competition at the invitational X Games and was fourth in slopestyle, will compete in the qualifiers. In December, the Finn was third in big air at the World Cup in Beijing.
Both events should be on Finns’ calendars.
The Olympic Games of three different sports can be held on Thursday, although the general public probably doesn’t even know that the Olympic Games have started. That, if anything, cheapens athletes who have worked for years.
Of course, the situation is not new. In previous years as well, a few sports have been contested before the actual opening. It’s still not stylish.
Everyone deserves to be able to compete during the “official” competitions. Of course, it won’t change the performance, but it would give appreciation.
Nowadays, when an athlete gets injured, the Olympics can literally end before they have even started.
