The Winter Olympics are over for another four years, which means our short-term affairs with curling and figure skating will finish as we return to our sporting wives in Aussie rules and rugby league.
Australia will return from Sochi with a respectable three medals (two silver, one bronze) and a top 30 finish on the medal table.
For a nation of our population and our climate, finishing on the podium once let alone three times is an impressive achievement and a testament to our determination to win.
However, the celebration of our success has been tempered by the behaviour of some surrounding the Olympic movement – in particular Torah Bright.
I know it’s heretical to be critical of such a champion, but her behaviour as a senior member of the Australian Winter Olympic team was nothing short of pathetic.
Forget the bubbly personality, cute dance moves and Cheshire cat smile on her face, hidden behind all this was a malicious campaign that bordered on bullying.
Even before she set eyes, let alone trained on the snowboarding course, she was complaining about its composition, claiming it was dangerous for competitors.
While alterations were made, it was not enough for Torah, who feverously demanded more and more changes, claiming lives were in danger on such an uncouth track.
Other snowboarders did admit the course was difficult but none other than Torah claimed it was severely dangerous, as most snowboarders know injuries are an occupational risk of their chosen careers.
Some suggested Bright was creating a siege mentality as there were indications her press conference attitude had been prepared in advance of the Olympics.
For me, her media theatrics sounded like excuse-making in the event she failed to claim gold over the three events she participated in.
Her Twitter #teamoutcast dummy spit also reflected poorly on her character and attitude.
While the high level of funding for Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin compared to other snowboarders raises legitimate questions that need answering, Torah is the last person who should be complaining about funding.
Watching her complaining about the amount of support she receives from the AOC was nothing short of galling considering she already earns millions of dollars a year on the pro circuit.
Bright’s self-serving commentary sounded like Joe Hockey telling the average Australian they get too much government assistance; hypocritical and aloof.
Trying to bully the AOC into increasing funding by using social media in reality TV-style to garner support shows a lack of maturity on her part.
If Bright felt so strongly about funding, she should have conducted herself in a discreet fashion in negotiating a better outcome for all in the boardroom, not on social media in a hostage-like situation.
Jacqui Cooper hit the nail on the head when she called Bright’s actions a deliberate attempt to create a “negative vibe”.
Instead of performing on the snow where the medals are won, Bright was too concerned about performing for the cameras and making everyone feel sympathetic for her cause.
Hopefully when Torah heads to Korea for the 2018 edition, she will have remembered how to conduct herself and let her snowboarding do the talking.
Cunny Funts
Guest
I agree that it's not a good idea for Torah to boycott alone. By herself she has no power - even as the reigning halfpipe gold medallist from 2010. Terje Haakonsen has boycotted the olympics since snowboarding was introduced in 1998, and yet even someone of his stature in the sport hasn't been able to get the rest of the snowboarding community onboard. It appears that riders and sponsors have instead followed the money associated with the olympics' worldwide tv audience. If she did quit by herself, it'd certainly be a big story, but the olympic show would go on. We live in an age where sprinters try bobsledding and gymnasts get into snowboarding - so as long as snowboarding is in the olympics it'll attract riders in pursuit of olympic bling - even if some hotshots are missing. Most people watching from the couch wouldn't know the difference, so the broadcasters (and therefore the IOC) wouldn't care either way. So the only power the snowboarders have is to take action collectively. It didn't work when Haakonsen tried boycotting from outside the olympics, so instead now Torah has made the argument from inside the olympic movement: that with the olympic courses being so bad, snowboarding should be run by the snowboarders' ISF and not the skiers' FIS. (The current situation would be like if the ARL ruled Union or if the ARU ruled League, to frame it with familar Australian imagery!) It's a valid argument to be making, so it's unfair for writers to interpret her complaints as "whinging". She has simply gone in to bat for her sport. I suggest it's overly simplistic to suggest "perception is reality" Even though Torah hasn't explained what #teamoutcast represents for her, she has said she's not a part of any funding complaints. Her complaints were just that the pipe was crap, and that snowboarding shouldn't be run by skiers who don't know how to build these courses properly. That's the reality. There's not much that Torah can do about the bandwagon of outrage that the OP perpetuates, 'cos she wouldn't want to add fuel to the fire by commenting further. I share your lament of the state of our media. I hope you don't interpret my post the wrong way, I'm only wanting to post a snowboarder's side of the debate. My contempt is for the original article, complaining about Torah's conduct. I think she conducted herself admirably it a very difficult situation.
chivasdude
Guest
Well put CF. As I commented before, the article was mean spirited drivel. And the suggestion that Torah owes anyone an explanation or clarification of her views is also nonsense. She made her point on the pipe conditions and she explained the whole Team Outcast perspective from her point of view. What more needs to be said? Move on. She has.
Chivas
Guest
Your points are well made CF, but I was not the one suggesting she is more important to the Olympics than they are to her. That was you by implication using Tony Hawke's as a reference. If that truly were the case she could protest with her feet and the world would sit up. If she had all the backing and support of the other snowboarders they would willingly follow her example. She does get something out of being at the Olympics which reaches a large audience, something quite important to her sponsors I imagine. My point was not that I wanted to see her leave or the other elite snowboarders. They add colour excitement and another dimension to the Winter Olympics, which would be far poorer without the snowboard events. My point merely was if they really wanted to protest there are ways. The importance they place on it is shown by the fact they didn't opt for that. No I don't expect Torah to go it alone either. No-one is bigger than the sport and I would hate to see an elite sportsperson become a martyr for a dodgy IOC or the media. They can both go fly a kite. You point about skiers versus snowboarders is no different to the birth of rock n roll. It adds nothing to the argument regarding either the pope or comments regarding funding. So how should it be interpretted, justification for her being outspoken or for the outrage expressed here? I am not for a minute suggesting she should be muzzled or silenced as that serves no-one. I merely think that before picking up your knife and walking into a gun fight, think about how it will play out. In large I agree with all of your points, even your own interpretation of what team outcasts means. Whether that is correct or not though still adds nothing to the argument unless wishing to play the victim card. However, the point which is valid and Torah herself made is it has nothing to do with protesting. What seems to have been lost is an explanation of what it does mean. Why raise it, because quite simply a media report has been made and there has been nothing coming from Torah's side to refute it or explain. We are all aware of the media which dogs top performers in all walls of life. In fact in some quarters they are worshipped (see Alan Jones, Ray Hadley and other shock jocks). What my point is, without any explanation or refute of the claims made, they hold. Perception is reality. Is it worth the effort to change that reality for a handful of people in Australia and a few for whom the papers are reality. Only Torah can answer that. I just thought unless you believe in something and are willing to go in and bat hard, why say it in the first place. Remember, nobody made her speak or put words in her mouth. You claiming the funding issue is a fabrication doesn't make it so. If it is the surely Torah would come out and hold them to account for slander? Either way I'm sure she will continue to brighten the world with her smile and kill it on the slopes. In the same way the Australian media will continue to trash and cannibalise it's own, which is truly sad. Torah is a legend in all ways and that I never denied.
Cunny Funts
Guest
On further reflection, this is by far the worst roar article I have read. Not because I disagree with it, but because it's full of angry, unsubstantiated assertions. It offers nothing insightful, just lazily perpetuates myths. This is Australian sporting critique at it's worst, and it's an ugly read. Supposed "guru" johnhunt92 - on the basis of the terribly poor quality of this article - should surely rethink his ability as an amateur journalist. Admittedly, johnhunt92 is not the only one to get the story wrong, considering Jacqui Cooper also erroniously linked Torah to the funding complaints that enveloped #teamoutcast. Having quoted Cooper, I'll give johnhunt92 the benefit of the doubt that he might have written and submitted this article before Cooper's backdown and subsequent apology to Torah. Cooper's statement that, "I didn't hear any other athlete making as much noise about anything as Torah did" reflects more on the Aussie-centric habits of the Australian media than on Torah. Especially since our media's focus on Torah was strengthened after Dale Begg-Smith's crashing out of the moguls (just prior to the halfpipe competitions commencing), and the subsequent death of Begg-Smith's potential medal storyline. Cooper was strong enough to apologise. I most strongly suggest johnhunt92 does the same.
Cunny Funts
Guest
"The snowboarders can pick up their ball and go away if they want... I would rather see her protest with her feet as much as her mouth." That's a highly unfair argument to be making. Their professional livelihood depends on them plugging their own ability and their sponsor's products, and to do that, they need to compete. Sponsors won't be happy if any of their team riders pull out. Considering the amount of ill-imformed commentary in Australia about snowboarding these olympics, imagine the outcry if she - our best medal chance at these games - did decline the opportunity to represent her country at the Olympics? Sure, it'd be softened by voices of support from those who'd agree that she shouldn't put herself through risks she considers too great, however it's still a case of dammed if you do / dammed if you don't. Basically it seems that Torah has been painted into a corner by the media and the resulting tide of public opinion. The Australian-centric media reported her complaints about the pipe without covering the complaints of the other riders, so as the story developed through new and old media, it became framed around the isolated whinging of an over-priveliged kid when it should have been about the collective outcry of a community of upset athletes. Ultimately the IOC buggered up the event, but in Australia it's just Torah taking the fall rather than the suits in the IOC. "...none of the issues raised are addressed with the exception of the state of the pipe." The only other issue the OP raises - padded with a whole lot of bile directed at Torah - is the issue of funding, and he's got his facts wrong. Torah has been offered a place on the AOC's team previously and she's declined it, going seperately with her brother/coach and sponsors. She receives no program funding from the AOC. Related to funding is the #teamoutcast social media story. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but where has Torah directly complained (with our without a teamoutcast hashtag) about the funding she or the other competitors in the Aussie team receive? Even after searching, I have yet to see such a statement from her. If that's the case, then the OP's statement, "Watching her complaining about the amount of support she receives from the AOC was nothing short of galling..." is a fabrication. Hence my disgust with it. It was Belle Brockhoff's father - with his own agenda - who complained about funding imbalances, and the story then evolved to suggest that #teamoutcast was for those making a funding complaint. When that happened Torah came out and said that that wasn't what #teamoutcast was about for her, and that it's original meaning had been "hijacked" (her word). My own take on the original intention of #teamoutcast is that it was simply a snowboarder's clique, seperate to skiers. When snowboarding started, snowboards weren't permitted in ski resorts. Since then we've always been the unwashed armpit of the snow industry, looked down upon by the established mountain elite. We're a collection of knuckle-draggers who purposefully retard ourselves by strapping both our feet to the same board, simply so we can have a better sensation of snow riding. To be one of a group of outcasts is a collective identity, and we're proud to be different!
Chivas
Guest
Reading through the numerous apoplectic posts made here, the thing that stands out is none of the issues raised are addressed with the exception of the state of the pipe. Yet that was one if three snow boarding events. Was it dodgy yes. Point made. If people think continual bleating is going to get some kind if support well good luck. I don't see the snowboarding community, the Austtalian team or anyone else of merit come out in vocal support. To justify it based on her friend being hurt in a completely separate event is weak and one I doubt (hope) she wouldn't use. So I think rather than expressions of outrage and disgust that a bit of thought is given to both sides of the argument. The snowboarders can pick up their ball and go away if they want. Nobody is forcing them or Torah Bright to compete in the Olympics. I would rather see her protest with her feet as much as her mouth. I think there would be a lot if people who are Australians and not well versed in the sport feel the same way. Is there opinion valid? They are still viewers and like to watch Australian sports people compete. For me I don't see Torah Bright's stance in the same light as girls like Lorraine Moller who stood up against public opinion and administration to be able to compete in the marathon. It does appear to be a whinge by an over privileged self-obsessed snowboarder. I'm not saying she is, just that appearances and perceptions are often as valid and many cases more so than any sort of reality. Look at DeanP's opening post if you doubt me.
Cunny Funts
Guest
As a long time reader on the roar, I'll use my first post to add another voice of dissent against this disgustingly bitter and ill-informed article. It's not the first article like it either... They're all products of a situation where a whole lot of people like Johnhunt92 are commenting about something that they know absolutely nothing about. Any snowboarder would have clearly noticed how terrible the pipe was for the competitions - and this is after the pipe was reworked following the initial complaints of all the riders in training! Even in the finals, it was common to see a well composed rider hitting a soft patch in the transition. They would then lose their balance, sometimes falling and wasting an otherwise excellent run, or other times they might just be able to stay on their feet, but then their next tricks would be compromised by their balance having been thrown. For anyone who isn't used to seeing top quality pipe competitions - riders at this level don't normally have any issues riding through the transition! Now people who are ignorant of snowboarding will say things like "It's the same for all the riders". As true as this is, it completely ignores the lottery that the riders are faced due to the sloppy nature of the pipe. The random soft patches would throw any rider unlucky enough to hit them. Handing olympic medals to the riders lucky enough to avoid the soft patches devalues the olympics, but worse than that, it devalues the sport of snowboarding. It's supposed to be the best in the world, but instead it was a compeition of terrible quality. Not only that, but Torah's coming from the point of view of having been at training one day with a close friend, and seeing her friend suffer a bad fall and subsequently pass away in hospital. There was a clear potential for a rider to be similarly thrown by the Sochi pipe due to the conditions - far beyond the normal dangers associated with the sport. So the snowboarders are right to question the IOC's use (read: abuse) of snowboarding by using the skiing association, FIS. I think it was Tony Hawk who made this comment about skateboarding potentially being in the olympics, but it's equally valid for snowboarding: THE OLYMPICS NEEDS SNOWBOARDING FAR MORE THAN SNOWBOARDING NEEDS THE OLYMPICS. If the Olympics can't run snowboarding right, then the snowboarders need to take their sport elsewhere, as advocated by arguably the best rider ever: Terje Haakonsen.
chivasdude
Guest
Mean spirited drivel. Torah is an internationally renowned snowboarder. Arguably a bigger name overseas than in Oz. If she has genuine concerns about the state of the course, she earned the right and has the experience to voice her issues. Note that: (i) they changed the course a number of times so her concerns must have been well founded, (ii) the changes benefited ALL participants - not just Torah, (iii) this is a dangerous sport. We should be proud that she used her standing in the snowboarding community to ensure better conditions for all. Just my different perspective I guess. And let's not forget that she "performed on the snow". She achieved what Jacqui Cooper never did, and few other have. She's won 2 Olympic medals (and was close to 2 Gold).
Andy
Guest
Jacqui Cooper knows nothing about snowboarding so has no right to comment on the sport. The FIS effectively cut the TTR world tour out of qualification before the last Olympics to give their own events legitimacy. The entire event was a joke and if the IOC and the FIS want quality snowboarders to participate than they should be paying attention to what bright and people like Shaun White said. There is no respect amongst snowboarders for the profiteering IOC and FIS. They have "acquired" snowboarding for their own means, not to progress the sport. The riders will vote with their feet sooner or later if they're not given control of their own sport. The Olympics has been a series of failures as far as the genuine world of snowboarders is concerned and if they aren't respected by the IOC or the FIS why should they show respect? Whilst I don't think snowboarding should even be in the Olympics, I understand its appeal, who wouldn't want to represent their country on the biggest stage? The thing is that if you want the money and viewers that snowboarding brings then you need to do the right thing by the athletes and the sport. That is not happening. Torah did us all proud and claimed a silver medal. I knew people would come out and try and cut her down because she didn't get a gold, or whatever excuse they could find. Snowboarding is not skiing, and has no place being run by a bunch of skiers who know little about the sport apart from how much money it can make them or how much legitimacy they think it gives them. The FIS and the IOC are solely to blame for these recurring problems, not Torah Bright. And if you think the other athletes weren't complaining then you haven't been looking. Maybe people weren't as open about it as Torah, but most snowboarders who compete at the elite level (ie not FIS events) were not impressed with the set up throughout the games.
mickh
Guest
You're so funny, first, while we may have more, our ski fields are far from "quality". Second we are a 20 hr flight from world class training in Europe or the US. How close is the UK from mainland Europe? Considering our climate, I agree, I was really pleased with our teams result. Thanks for your concern about our winter Olympics results though.
Jay (the other one)
Guest
Why shouldn't the world's best woman Snowboarder take the lead and be vocal about the quality of the pipe or facilities, or for that matter where she thinks the deficiencies might be in her sport? She may have been the most vocal because she can be, because her opinion carries weight. At least she's using her profile to try to make change and highlight what she thinks is wrong. Shaun White was also vocal, and coincidentally the world's best male Snowboarder. Maybe these two realise they should use their profile to make change rather than just hide away and play it safe.
up in the north
Guest
From what I've gathered from watching and reading, she doesn't give a rotund rodents rectum about making waves, if it means she can voice her opinions on something she knows a lot about. Maybe she is at that fortunate stage where she isn't afraid to express herself honestly if she perceives something is wrong. Lucky her.
Rich-UK
Guest
considering your climate???? you have more quality mountains/snowfields/ski resorts than Great Britain, you should have performed a lot better
deanp
Guest
Ah, a labor supporter. So no surprises then at the mean-spirited attack on the talented Bright.