Support The Moscow Times!

Failed Olympians Compete For the Best Excuse

Finland's victory over Russia in the men's hockey match on Feb. 19 put a stunning end to Russia's expectations at home.

Even after the events have finished and the medals have been awarded at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, athletes are still outdoing each other in one area: excuses.

Olympians are blaming the condition of courses, equipment choice and the type of wax they use as they explain why they weren't as fast or as accurate or as good as their rivals.

"Maybe we made the wrong choice in terms of the conditions today," said French cross-country skier Celia Aymonier, who finished sixth in the sprint classic semifinals. "Because of the wetness of the snow a different waxing might have made a difference."

With 74 medals awarded from Sochi's 98 events, athletes are running out of time for success as the Winter Games are entering their last days.

Himanshu Thakur, an Indian who finished last in the men's giant slalom, said he would have been much faster than his 3:37:55 minutes if he was using gold medal winner Ted Ligety's equipment. The American's time was 2:45.29.

"It's very difficult to buy good equipment in India," said the skier, who trains near the Himalayan mountains. "It's the first time I've competed in the Olympics, I was a little bit nervous."

Having finely tuned equipment has been a source of complaints for the U.S. speed skating team, which voted to change out of a more technical skinsuit made by Under Armour Inc. to a previous model after being shut out of medals. The Americans still haven't mustered a podium finish. The United States won four speed skating medals in the 2010 Games.

"If you have a bad performance at a World Cup because of a suit then it's OK, you switch the suit," Shani Davis, the two-time defending silver medalist, told reporters after finishing 11th in the 1500-meter speed skating race Feb. 15 while wearing the less-technical suit. "You can't do that at the Olympics. There's too much riding on it."

Meanwhile, Canadian cross-country skier Daria Gaiazova blamed her equipment for her performance in the women's team sprint classic. The country failed to advance.

"I took the wrong skis in the first lap; I had no grip," Daria Gaiazova told reporters. "There was a moment of panic because I needed so much energy, staying with everyone and laboring my way up the hill with my arms. The time and energy I lost in the first lap made a huge difference. I made a mistake."

German Alpine skier Felix Neureuther said whiplash sustained in a car crash less than a week ago made his run in the giant slalom more of a training run for Saturday's men's slalom than an actual competition.

"I really tried to attack but you can tell that I have been lying down for the last five days," Germany's Felix Neureuther told reporters after finishing eighth in the giant slalom today. "It was absolutely the right decision to start this way. It was a good practice run ahead of Saturday. I said before that there would be no excuses."

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more