How amusing was the very brief investigation by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) into the Canadian women’s hockey team partying on the ice at Canada Hockey Place? Drinking beer and smoking cigars, hours after the building was empty, how dare the players celebrate winning a gold medal. What a joke! The only possible flagrant issue was the image of 18-year old Marie-Philip Poulin sitting against the boards with beer in hand. Poulin is pictured below on the left, beside goaltenders Kim St. Pierre and Charline Labonte.
Poulin, who turns 19 on March 28, scored both goals in Canada’s 2-0 win over Team USA. If ever there was a case for clemency, this is it. And, being a hockey player, I seriously doubt this was Poulin’s first beer. Fortunately the investigation was dropped, although IOC president Jacques, the grim reaper, Rogge still managed to put a damper on the celebration by verbally placing women’s hockey on the Olympic endangered sports list due to competitive imbalance. Poor form Jacques. Couldn’t you wait a few days before delivering that unnecessary blow?
For me, the laughable part of the IOC even looking into the situation was due to an image I’ve had in my head since last weekend. Six days before the women’s gold medal victory, Canadian skeleton gold medalist Jon Montgomery celebrated his big win with a victory lap of sorts through the streets of Whistler. Check out the video below. It appears to be a VANOC volunteer that hands Montgomery a pitcher of beer which he proceeds to chug from while continuing on his merry way. Incredibly, he even has a police escort. The IOC never mentioned this incident even though drinking in public is likely an equal offense to Team Canada’s and Poulin’s indiscretions. If the IOC’s issue was of the ‘role model’ variety, again, there is a definite parallel between the two. How can one be funny, cool and endearing while the other is labeled taboo? Clips of Montgomery’s stroll were shown on CTV, TSN & Sportsnet all week and referred to as a classic moment. A conquering hero celebrating a huge victory, just the way he should.
Two golden moments celebrated. No harm done. What’s wrong with that?
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