The business side of Olympic Sports… I don’t get it

[unclebilly]

It’s interesting that we have several athletes competing for countries that are not their home country.

We had the American GS skier competing for Mexico.

We had a 17 year old Canadian Slopestyle skier competing for USA.

We had a Silver medalist American Slopestyle skier competing for China.

Emma Aicher has dual Swiss German citizenship and races for Germany because she lives there.

I don’t think Eileen Gu lives in China, I wonder if she’s ever been there.

In 2024 Avery Krumme switched nationality from Canada to USA, she’s a Canadian.

The ‘Mexican’ skier is 46 years old and presumably did this just so she could compete one more time…

Why do they do this? I know that some countries pay their athletes a lot better than others (this is likely why Avery switched).

On another note, I had never heard of Frederica Brignone 2 weeks ago…

What is the money trail? How does it work?

[jyl]

You’ve never heard of Brignone because you don’t follow women’s WC skiing?

As for the rest, if an athlete can go to the Olympics with another country to which they have enough connection, then they might choose to do so. Sometimes it pays off. Brazil won its first downhill skiing gold medal via a skiier who was born in Norway to a Brazilian mother and skier for Norway before leaving after a dispute with the team, after a brief retirement he started skiing for Brazil and here he is. I knew a young man who was born and lives in the US, went to high school with my kids, who went to the Olympics skiing for South Korea, where his family came from. I think it’s all kind of fun.

[KFC911]

$noop dawgydawg get$ it

I don't either ... never took Marketing 101 tho'...

[id10t]

It is about citizenship, not where one is residing

I have had several coworkers involved in games, only one was for the US team (fencing coach), there was a Jamaican runner and a Belgian diver

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by id10t

It is about citizenship, not where one is residing
…

I’m not so sure about that.

[jyl]

I think countries make their own rules about who can be on their national team. Residency, or ancestry, are sometime used. For instance, Eileen Gu wasn't born in, nor live in, China, but her ancestry is Chinese so the Chinese were happy to have her. Smart commercial move for her.

[VINMAN]

I was done with the Olympics once they started allowing pro athletes.

.

[Alan A]

China paid that girl 20m or so. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

[Cajundaddy]

It is weird.

One of my daughters was a contender for Team USA in water polo but as a goalie, she was a dark horse. Two other gals had similar stats but a lot more reach which really matters at the highest level. She went and played 2 years with the French National Team but developed significant overtraining shoulder injuries and decided to hang it up. When she came home she looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger. A great life experience and played against all of the top European teams, no Olympics.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by Cajundaddy

It is weird.

One of my daughters was a contender for Team USA in water polo but as a goalie, she was a dark horse. Two other gals had similar stats but a lot more reach which really matters at the highest level. She went and played 2 years with the French National Team but developed significant overtraining shoulder injuries and decided to hang it up. When she came home she looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger. A great life experience and played against all of the top European teams, no Olympics.

How did she get the horse to swim? (imagine green text there)


Grandma on moms side was the secretary to the GM of the 1932 games. The family has a metric ton of Olympic stuff ....

Dads first wifes brother was an alt boxer for Italy in 1948

Grandma helped coordinate the volunteer effort for the 1984 games. It added to the pile of Olympic stuff.

[greglepore]

Money some of it. When I was involved in track cycling it was usually because the chosen country was a more realistic opportunity of making the squad-we had one woman with dual Irish/American citizenship that joined the Irish National team simply because she wouldn't have made the American team-too few slots.

[unclebilly]

It’s $$$. Whenever something doesn’t make sense, follow the money trail?

China paid Ms. Gu $20M to compete for them - thanks Alan - I fact checked this, it’s a thing. They also pay about 10x more for a medal than the US does.

I think athletes deserve whatever money they can command because unlike getting a degree or trade where you can follow that line of work your whole life, and likely progressively make more and more money, athletics is a one shot deal. You get in, get paid (hopefully), you get out.

[Alan A]

They publish a table…

[Bill Douglas]

Someone's grandmother was from a country... That seems to be enough.

Well, in international rugby anyway. So I guess the Olympics is something similar.

[DWBOX2000]

I don’t agree with shopping for a ticket in. Either you’re a citizen or not, otherwise why even have countries compete.

[unclebilly]

This is World Cup cash winnings so far this year… Brignone is way down in 69th place. She also races in speed and technical events but she is coming off an injury.



https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/alpine-skiing/prize-money-ranking.html

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by DWBOX2000

I don’t agree with shopping for a ticket in. Either you’re a citizen or not, otherwise why even have countries compete.

My thoughts as well. On the upside more elite athletes get to compete this way.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by DWBOX2000

I don’t agree with shopping for a ticket in. Either you’re a citizen or not, otherwise why even have countries compete.

Agreed, I didn’t even know this was a thing. I assumed you had to be a citizen to represent your country. Sorta defeats the purpose, no?