Happy hosts, lots of German tears and a dog going astray: the Olympics in Italy had a lot to offer. The spectacle could have repercussions for the IOC.
After a good two weeks of great emotional opera, the Winter Olympics spectacle leaves Italy’s stages. This time the German team was all too often responsible for the bitter tears; the stories of shining heroes were mostly told by other nations. The dramatic thunder came once again from the International Olympic Committee with the exclusion of the Ukrainian Vladislav Heraskevych. The 80s catchy tune “Sarà perché ti amo” by Ricchi e Poveri will remain unforgotten as the sound of these Winter Games: “It will be because I love you”. A summary of the Winter Games:
Officially, for the first time, two hosts, seven venues, many long distances. These Winter Games were more decentralized than ever before – a risk in line with the IOC’s guidelines for more sustainability. The ski racers in particular felt like they were on a deserted island in Bormio and complained that an Olympic sense of community could not be created in this way. In some athletes’ villages, such as in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the free condoms for athletes were temporarily used up. The winter sports world will have to get used to the long distances. In France’s Alps 2030 the concept looks very similar.
Italian warmth
Some people had clichéd doubts about Italian organizational skills. Milan’s ice hockey temple sparkled rather unfinished on wasteland and because tram line 12 was not extended in time, the hosts improvised rather poorly with shuttle buses. But whether it was occasional traffic chaos, breakdowns with broken medals or a power outage in the curling stadium – the makers of the games smiled down all supposed worries with composure and heart. “These Games were truly successful and exceeded all expectations,” enthused IOC President Kirsty Coventry.
In terms of sport, the hosts did “bella figura” anyway. The Italians have never been more successful at the Winter Olympics than this time. By halftime they had already surpassed their record of 20 precious metals. Ski racer Federica Brignone and speed skating mom Francesca Lollobrigida raised the enthusiasm for the home games with double gold. “This success makes us so happy because we are reaping the fruits of years of hard work,” said organizing director Giovanni Malagò.
The German team was far from happy. The missed tears of biathlete Franziska Preuß, the elimination of ski racer Lena Dürr at the first gate of the final slalom round and the double fall of combiner Vinzenz Geiger were symbols of failure.
The flag bearers were also frustrated: ski jumper Katharina Schmid was completely out of shape in her last career appearance, superstar Leon Draisaitl received a quarter-final defeat with the best German ice hockey squad in history. The ice track alone was a medal bank with tobogganers, skeletonis and bobsledders. After all: skiing hope Emma Aicher painted two silver linings in a long, rather gloomy picture, which Daniela Maier brightened up a bit shortly before the end with gold in ski cross.
The biggest medal hamsters came from other teams. Norway cemented its position as a winter sports superpower. Cross-country skier Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo’s hunger for gold is insatiable; in Tesero he became the most successful athlete in the history of the Winter Games. In biathlon there was a French festival with multiple gold medals for Julia Simon and Quentin Fillon Maillet. The three-time Olympic champion Franjo von Allmen from Switzerland was celebrated as Alpine king. Norwegian Jens Luraas Oftebro won all three available gold medals in the Nordic combined.
The biggest storyline of the games came from one that didn’t get anywhere: Lindsey Vonn. Her comeback was accompanied by a lot of criticism; after a strong World Cup season, the 41-year-old said she tore a cruciate ligament shortly before the Olympics. She started anyway – and fell heavily after 13 seconds on the Cortina descent. He was taken to the accident clinic by helicopter, where a complex shin injury was diagnosed. Updates from the hospital kept the sports world in suspense before she flew home after several operations. When she arrived there, she announced that her beloved dog Leo had died shortly after the ski drama.
Animal and human
The Czechoslovakian wolfhound Nazgul sprinted lively to the finish line of the Olympic cross-country skiing stadium. The two-year-old animal escaped from its owner and caused strange pictures during the team sprint – including the finish photo.
There was also a lot of fuss about the Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid. After winning individual bronze, he confessed to an affair on television and asked his ex-girlfriend for forgiveness. At first without success.
The escalation in the debate over the helmet of the Ukrainian Vladyslaw Heraskewych could have repercussions for the IOC. The skeleton pilot did not want to give up wearing his head protection, which shows more than 20 sports colleagues killed in Russian attacks. The IOC banned the helmet because expressions of this kind are not permitted during Olympic competitions. In an expedited procedure, the International Court of Arbitration for Sports (Cas) rejected Heraskewytsch’s objection. The 27-year-old could now take the case to a regular court.
In terms of sports policy, the look into the future offers further delicate challenges for IOC boss Coventry. The host of the next Olympic spectacle is solely responsible for this. In 2028, Donald Trump will welcome the sports world to Los Angeles.
dpa
