Why Are Women Being Left Out in the Cold?

ABC News ^ | 2/16/06

[dervish]

Brother and sister skiers Anders and Alissa Johnson have trained together in the ski jump for their entire careers, and both are considered among the best jumpers in the country. But at the Olympics today, Alissa will be on the sidelines while her brother goes for the gold.

"I'm here [only] to support unfortunately," Alissa, 19, said. "I wish I was here to train and jump, but I'm here to support Anders."

The International Ski Federation has ruled that ski jumping is too dangerous for women, making it the only winter Olympic sport that has male competitors and no female counterparts.

'snip'

[xzins]

The could spin in a burka for all I care. If they can't measure it, clock it, or score points against an opponent, then I'm not interested.

BTW, if they fall once they should be disqualified.

[anymouse]

Or flying with a Kennedy for that matter.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Since men have no inherent style capabilities women would clean up. There must be a fairness factor...

[rawhide]

[Lunatic Fringe]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinko_Bogataj

[SamAdams76]

Does this mean we have to set up another "kiss and cry" area?

[Lunatic Fringe]

Tanith Belbin.. Grrrr...

[joonbug]

"Left out in the cold"??

Impossible. We are in the midst of global warming, at least according to the Internet inventor.

[taxesareforever]

Psst, psst, Alissa. Go for curling. Only 30 minutes training necessary to toss and sweep. With any luck they will make shuffleboard a summer Olympics event and then you can go to it also.

[Richard Kimball]

If that's the MasterCard commercial, the only way it could be more stupid is if they put the Burger King in it.

[rjp2005]

Good! I'm glad the Ski Federation said no and is sticking with it. Frankly, they need to start looking at other dangerous downhill skiing events as well. How many times have we seen women completely wiping out downhill this Olympics? Meanwhile, the dancers continue to graceful and remarkable.

[supercat]

It's probably reasonable to require that only women can enter the Women's Biathlon, and only men can enter the Men's, but for events without separate categories I don't see any particular reason why women who would otherwise be able to compete on the same footing as men should be excluded.

I think there's only one non-segregated event in the Summer Olympics, however, and I don't know of any in the Winter Olympics.

[lesser_satan]

Now that's nice form. It would be better if I couldn't count her ribs, but that's nothing a roast and a few potatoes can't take care of.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

They need to modify the tagline to this:

" Hunting with Cheney still safer than driving with a Kennedy, and more respectable than hunting with Kerry "

[A CA Guy]

Seems women ski jumpers must really suck at getting sponsors.
If they were a basketball team or soccer team, they would have a sponsor if some other one didn't want to finance it.

Why had they not found other sponsors?

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

I'm still trying to figure out how rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming qualify as "sports," but softball and baseball don't.

Can someone please explain the logic that compelled the IOC to make that decision?

[LibertarianInExile]

Yes. America would regularly kick ass and take names in softball and do darn well in baseball, too. There are actual scores in those sports. The other 'sports' involve employing swishy judges and the IOC loves that type of sport where the only score is based on how much a judge swoons over your faaabulous routine.

[SFC Chromey]

That requirement eliminates 90% of the figure skaters!

[LibertarianInExile]

Why are Women being left out in the cold?

The male Italians are entertained by it, I bet.

[xzins]

Yes, disqualification in that trial for falling down would change the nature of figure skating, wouldn't it?

What happens in gymnastics when the performer crashes and burns?

There should be a different name for events that are judged and those that are measured or scored.

The second are sports; the first are ___________???