Canada's Womens Hockey Celebrate Too Much?

[Follarch 326]

Way to go Canada. ?

IOC to investigate Canadian women's hockey team for celebration

By Chris Chase

The International Olympic Committee will investigate the actions of Canadian women's hockey players who celebrated their gold medal victory Thursday night by swigging beer and smoking cigars on the ice in Vancouver.

A number of players, including 18-year-old superstar Marie-Philip Poulin, were drinking alcohol on the ice following the team's 2-0 defeat of the United States. (The legal drinking age in British Columbia is 19.) Players lingered for more than 70 minutes after the awards ceremony reveling in the arena, which was empty except for media and arena staff. (Click here to view a slideshow of the celebration.)

Gilbert Felli, the IOC's executive director of the Olympic Games, said that drinking in public was "not what we want to see" from athletes at an Olympic venue. The organization will investigate the actions and will speak with the international hockey federation and Canadian Olympic Committee and ask them to "act accordingly."

Steve Keough, a spokesman for the Canadian Olympic Committee, told the Associated Press, “We condone celebrations. … We don’t condone actions of irresponsibility. I think Canadians understand it’s quite an emotional moment for our team. It was not our intention to go against any IOC protocols.”

To be sure, the Canadian women's hockey team should have acted with more class and been a little more discreet with its celebration. But to do something drastic like ban the team from the Closing Ceremony or force them out of the Olympic Village would be an overreaction. In past Olympics we've seen steroids, political boycotts, cheating and judging scandals. A few puffs of a cigar hardly seems to be in the same league.

---quote>

Edit: It may be a large arena, but I see smoking indoors at a public place and drinking under the age limit being done here.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Well, they were a little boisterous but it was a threepeat.  There are really only two teams in women's Olympic hockey: Canada and the U.S.A.  The others are also rans, with the Fins and Swedes fighting it out for the bronze.  The fault is not in ourselves, but in the IOC for failing to promote the sport.  The IIHF has a lot of blame to take for not promoting women's hockey as an international sport as well.

Not to be facetious, but most of the members of the IOC and the IIHF belong to the also ran countries.  Any excuse will do, I suppose, to sweeten the sour grapes.

[SC4BOY 20]

So I guess you both are voting in favor of either ignoring the rules or at least making it "ok" because it is Canada? or because its a "threepeat" .. Sorry.. I believe people are free to select the behavior they wish to exhibit, but are also must prepared to accept the consequences.. Not that I support or not any particular rule, but when you sign onto the olympics process, I believe you are also signing onto the codes of conduct. Has there been violations in the past? Of course.. people are people.. But just as in this case I believe ALL violations should be appropriately addressed... And whatever they do it won't be acceptable to all.. someone will be whining about it no matter what, but making an exception is to make mockery of the rules.. I didn't witness this event, but I don't believe that matters.. we should all abide by the rules in place or change the rules (and not as a convenience "after the fact") I have kids myself and they know they can behave as they feel fit, but when they do so they also accept the consequences.

edit: .. and come on .. "they are the also rans"? I mean that's pretty small.. in every sport some set of IOC folk will either be from the "good ones" or from the "also rans".. that's a poor argument..  

[psander5 195]

I'm British, so these particular women look like ladies of high society displaying perfect decorum to me!

Grownups are entitled to celebrate their hard fought for achievements however they please in my opinion, provided it abides by the law of the land. in this case, if they were breaking the rules of the IOC they should be thrown in jail... well, perhaps not, but just punishment could not be challenged.

I really hope they're not harshly punished. At least they waited for the fans to clear before they spilled onto the field of battle to celebrate their victory. I too, would find it hard to just have a cup of tea and go to bed after becoming Olympic champion!

I enjoyed the game,,, until I fell asleep in the third. Stupid time difference! Go team GB!

[beebs 129]

Aaand it's quickly turning into a non-story, as I thought.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/hockey/news/newsid=52960.html#ioc+wont+investigate+celebration

VANCOUVER- The International Olympic Committee is playing down an on-ice celebration by the Canadian women's hockey team.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams said a letter is being drafted to Canadian Olympic officials to get more details on the impromptu party the Canadian women threw at Canada Hockey Place after winning gold at the Winter Games on Thursday.

"To be honest I think people are in search of a story that doesn't exist," Adams told a briefing Friday when asked about the incident. "There were pictures all over the front pages and so on this morning and I think people are looking for someone to say it's terrible.

"At the moment we just are going to write a letter and I guess we will just be asking for some clarifications, some explanation of what occurred. For the time being, until that letter is written and a response is got, I can't really comment any further."

Hockey Canada has already apologized for the incident, saying: "In the excitement of the moment, the celebration left the confines of our dressing room and shouldn't have."

Adams suggested that prompt apology may have largely ended the matter, although the IOC would await a response to its pending letter.

Canadian players, still wearing their uniforms and with gold medals draped around their necks, celebrated their victory by drinking champagne and beer at centre ice following a 2-0 win over the United States.

Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored both goals for Canada in the final, was shown on the ice with a can of beer in hand. Poulin doesn't turn 19, the legal drinking age in British Columbia, until next month. The drinking age in Alberta, where the Canadian team trains, and in Poulin's native Quebec, is 18.

A VANOC spokesman suggested Poulin may have overlooked the fact the drinking age was different in B.C.quote>

psander5: The main issues were that the celebration went outside of the locker room, and that the one player was underage in BC by a month.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: beebs

Aaand it's quickly turning into a non-story, as I thought.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/hockey/news/newsid=52960.html#ioc+wont+investigate+celebration

VANCOUVER- The International Olympic Committee is playing down an on-ice celebration by the Canadian women's hockey team.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams said a letter is being drafted to Canadian Olympic officials to get more details on the impromptu party the Canadian women threw at Canada Hockey Place after winning gold at the Winter Games on Thursday.

"To be honest I think people are in search of a story that doesn't exist," Adams told a briefing Friday when asked about the incident. "There were pictures all over the front pages and so on this morning and I think people are looking for someone to say it's terrible.

"At the moment we just are going to write a letter and I guess we will just be asking for some clarifications, some explanation of what occurred. For the time being, until that letter is written and a response is got, I can't really comment any further."

Hockey Canada has already apologized for the incident, saying: "In the excitement of the moment, the celebration left the confines of our dressing room and shouldn't have."

Adams suggested that prompt apology may have largely ended the matter, although the IOC would await a response to its pending letter.

Canadian players, still wearing their uniforms and with gold medals draped around their necks, celebrated their victory by drinking champagne and beer at centre ice following a 2-0 win over the United States.

Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored both goals for Canada in the final, was shown on the ice with a can of beer in hand. Poulin doesn't turn 19, the legal drinking age in British Columbia, until next month. The drinking age in Alberta, where the Canadian team trains, and in Poulin's native Quebec, is 18.

A VANOC spokesman suggested Poulin may have overlooked the fact the drinking age was different in B.C.quote>

psander5: The main issues were that the celebration went outside of the locker room, and that the one player was underage in BC by a month.quote>

Realy? there makeing a big deal out of little celebration after wining a gold medal?

they drank some beer and smoked some  cigars, big deal its not like there were running thu the streets nekid and burning  police cars. Looks like they will lighten up on what they do with them,they apoligize and get a sweet contract with molsons. and around 2PM sunday afternoon no one will care.

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

The only thing I really object to is the cigars.  There are athletes, and smoking is not only bad for your health, fatal in the long run, and setting a very poor example considering the anti-tobacco campaigns.  Yes, I know that beer and champagne contain an active intoxicant, but no one has ever shown that you get cancer from alcohol.

For our British friend, you have to remember that sports hooliganism has not come across the sea so far.  However, soccer is getting ever more popular in North America, so we can probably expect an expression of its side effects anytime now.

I think the world should take up Cricket as an international sport, not just the Commonwealth.  Much more polite.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: N_O_Body

For our British friend, you have to remember that sports hooliganism has not come across the sea so far.  However, soccer is getting ever more popular in North America, so we can probably expect an expression of its side effects anytime now.quote>

they have been saying that soccer is getting popular in america since the 70's.

Ill believe it when i see a soccer match besides the world cup stuff  pull decent rateings here.

[Follarch 326]

Don't forget their 18 year old player was drinking beer under the Age limit, even if it is younger than the United State's. So there was law breaking in that celebration.

[hamsterTK 93]

I don't care. Good for them, they just won an olympic event.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Originally posted by: Archean

Don't forget their 18 year old player was drinking beer under the Age limit, even if it is younger than the United State's. So there was law breaking in that celebration.quote>

"This is the kind of pedantic nonsense up with which I shall not put." Winston S. Churchill.

[hym 358]

Originally posted by: N_O_Body

"This is the kind of pedantic nonsense up with which I shall not put." Winston S. Churchill.quote>

Exactly what is pedantic about obeying the law?

[Zelgadis 638]

There were no real laws broken here.  Smoking in a public venue will get you a slap-on-the-wrist fine, but that's it.  Shoot, getting a speeding ticket here carries a harsher punishment.

As for being under 19, there were no laws broken.  Here's the funny thing about Canada.  Here, it's illegal to buy tobacco if you're under 19, but not illegal to smoke it.  So, the under-19 woman in question was not breaking any laws.

ISF

 

[hym 358]

Originally posted by: Zelgadis

As for being under 19, there were no laws broken.  Here's the funny thing about Canada.  Here, it's illegal to buy tobacco if you're under 19, but not illegal to smoke it.  So, the under-19 woman in question was not breaking any laws.quote>

I wasn't talking about smoking, but rather drinking.  So unless the article's information is wrong or incomplete, she is drinking underage.

[Zelgadis 638]

Since Poulin, the under-19, is from Quebec and trains in Alberta, I think it's safe to give the benefit of the doubt and say she just simply forgot where she was in the heat of the moment.  Both of the aforementioned provinces have drinking ages of 18.  Yes, technically, she broke the law, but it's such a minor violation and under the circumstances, I see no need to make a big deal of it.  If the cops wanna hit her with a wee fine, then go ahead and do it so we can get on with our lives.  

Personally, I just wish they'd changed out of their uniforms and gone and done it somewhere else, but eh, another minor issue, so no sense making a big deal out of that either.

ISF

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Originally posted by: hym

Originally posted by: N_O_Body

"This is the kind of pedantic nonsense up with which I shall not put." Winston S. Churchill.quote>

Exactly what is pedantic about obeying the law?

quote>

The infraction is so minor that it is not worth the electrons we are wasting on it.  A misdemeanor at best, so why rain on the parade?