Florida Pilot

A compendium of random thoughts from a former Washington Beltway insider who is now having a lot more fun flying small airplanes in Central Florida.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Is Michelle Kwan a good sport?

There have been a lot of stories about the circumstances surrounding Michelle Kwan's withdrawl from the Olympics. In most of the stories there is very little said about how Kwan actually made the U.S. team. The answer is that she used political influence to have the rules changed on her behalf. Under the rules in existence at the time the team members were to have been selected, she would not have qualified. What Kwan managed to pull off would be the equivalent of the number 3 ranked football team having the Bowl Championship Series rules changed to their benefit after all the regular season games had been played.

I don't believe that Kwan should be given any praise for giving up something that was not really hers to begin with. In fact, only by Kwan's claiming a new injury was the righful team member, Emily Hughes, able to participate in the competition (although not the opening ceremony and she will be some days behind the other competitors.) It is said the participation in the Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime dream for many of the altheletes. Kwan was apparently ready and willing to have Emily Hughes' dream dashed in order for Kwan to participate a third time.

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