The Olympics in Beijing had its share of highs and lows
Amy Bass
The Beijing Olympics were a unique experience for athletes who didn't secure medals, such as Jamaican bobsledder Rolando Reid, whose team ranked 28th. It was also a special moment for medal winners, like Canadian speed skater Isabelle Weidemann, who left Beijing with colors fading from her sight.
The rollercoaster of Olympic emotions can best be understood through the eyes of Elana Meyers Taylor, an American bobsledder who wore an American flag and navy blue face mask, her smile barely contained. Nyet, she hadn't been chosen as the flag-bearer for the opening ceremony; instead, she was "quarantined" in a hotel due to a positive COVID-19 test.
But even in her hotel room, she lifted weights, as her competitors began early training sessions. Despite missing valuable practice time, she delivered a strong Olympic performance, overcame COVID protocols, and snagged silver in the women's single bobsled event and bronze in the women's two-woman bobsled event. With five career medals, she became the most decorated American bobsledder, the oldest American winter medalist, and the most decorated black athlete in Winter Olympic history.
While the COVID-19 pandemic tested some athletes, like American figure skater Vincent Zhou, who announced his withdrawal from the men's individual event on Instagram in heart-wrenching fashion, the "closed loop" system in Beijing kept the virus at bay during the Olympics. IOC President Thomas Bach said that Beijing was "one of the safest places on Earth," with less than 0.01% related COVID-19 cases until the closing ceremony.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continued to gravitate near the Ukrainian border, marking yet another war against Covid-19 that the world faces. The ancient Olympics were guided by the spirit of Ekecheiria, aiming to halt conflicts between enemy nations in order to allow safe passage to and from the games for spectators and athletes.
Russian athletes, despite continuing Doping allegations, participated in the Olympics without a flag or anthem unless they passed a drug test. The president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, was present, as well as Putin, who cheered as Russians entered the arena under the Russian Olympic Committee flag.
The last outstanding triumph for Russia came during the closing ceremony, as Alexander Bolshunov and Ivan Yakimushkin claimed gold and silver in the men's 50-km cross-country ski race, replaced by Tchaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. 1" instead of the banned Russian national anthem.
As the 15-year-old Kamila Valieva was absent from the closing ceremony, her team under controversial coach Eteri Tutberidze posted an Instagram Story welcoming her back to Russia for training. It seemed like time to get back to work, as usual, rather than pondering the events in Beijing.
Valieva's story casts a shadow on a significant portion of the figure skating event. While the IOC remained in "silent diplomacy" mode as the world demanded answers about missing tennis star Peng Shuai (who went missing in November), then-IOC President Thomas Bach made an unusual comment about Valieva's implosion during the women's free skate and the "fear" she felt, as she walked off the ice. Tutberidze said she was "overwhelmed" by Bach's comments.
As her music began, Valieva stood alone on the ice, appearing both frightened and shell-shocked, as if struggling with the decisions made by those around her. The aftermath remains one of the darkest moments of these Olympics.
Valieva's story played out throughout the women's team competition, perhaps most notably during the medal ceremony: Winner Anna Shcherbakova appeared shocked, unable to look at her teammates as they cheered for Valieva and a furious Alexandra Trusova seemed to believe her five quad jumps would secure her top position. Even the humble embrace between Japanese silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto and the Russian bronze medalist was tinged with sadness, as Sakamoto reveled in defeating the Russians, with Shcherbakova standing alone, seeming both lost and isolated.
These aren't ordinary times, and these aren't ordinary Olympics. Confined within barely safe conditions and held under the weight of global fatigue, the question remains- what's next? Not only does the famous Russian figure skating machine abandon its athletes, but the Olympic movement allows Russia, despite the expiration of its ban, enough room to secure 32 medals. All of us who witnessed Shcherbakova standing alone in the spotlight- who watched as Russian troops gathered at the Ukrainian border- have been witness to a heartbreaking picture of what sports reveal about the world: where greed and corruption fuel the dreams of young athletes.
Four years later, the world would gather again, albeit in a different place, as Cortina d'Ampezzo and Milan hosted the 2026 Winter Olympics.
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- Follow us on Twitter and Facebook Stay tuned for happier moments, as we look forward to better times: Snowboarder Chloe Kim smiling after winning gold, pairs figure skaters Han Cong and Sui Wenjing finding solace on home ice with a narrow 0.63-point victory, Jessie Diggins collapsing after winning silver in the 30-km race, just hours after suffering from food poisoning, and the historic rivalry between the United States and Canada continues. At the same time, we will come to understand moments that break our hearts, like lost and isolated Shcherbakova or reprimanding Mikaela Shiffrin (who secured no rewards from her victory but remains one of the greatest in this sport).
This is the chaotic wonder of the Olympics, which strengthens the good in us and keeps the bad from ever truly disappearing.
Further Reading
Enrichment
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, impacting both athletes' health and medal distribution. Here's a snapshot of the pandemic's impact on the games.
Impact on Athletes
- Health and Safety Measures: The Olympics implemented rigorous health and safety measures to combat the spread of COVID-19. These measures included frequent testing, mask mandates, social distancing, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) among athletes and staff.
- Athletes' Health: The pandemic led to a renewed focus on athletes' health, particularly mental health. For instance, Carina Edlinger, an Austrian Paralympian, emphasized the importance of her mental and physical health since the Beijing 2022 Games, noting that her focus on health greatly impacted her performance.
- Illness and Injuries: The impact of COVID-19 on the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics served as a precursor for the Winter Olympics in Beijing. Although the number of illnesses and positive COVID-19 tests were relatively low, specific issues arose such as exertional heat illnesses.
Impact on Medal Distribution
- Medal Reallocation: The pandemic led to a unique medal reallocation ceremony during the 2024 Summer Olympics. In this case, due to a doping scandal involving Kamila Valieva from Russia, who tested positive for trimetazidine, her scores were subtracted, upgrading the United States and Japan to gold and silver medals, respectively.
- Attendance and Participation: The pandemic resulted in reduced crowd size during the Olympics, forcing a shift in the traditional medal ceremonies. However, the delayed medal reallocation ceremony for the figure skating team event from the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing during the 2024 Summer Olympics was carried out with a full crowd.
The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a renewed focus on athletes' health and safety measures. The pandemic also led to the first Olympic medal reallocation ceremony, underscoring the ongoing challenges and adaptations in international sports during this era.
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