Olympic Fever!!

So like all good, proud Canadians, I've been watching the first 6 days of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic games with my eyes glued to the screen, baited breath, rapid pulse, and heart glowing with pride. I've surprised myself. As of Friday afternoon, I answered with a resounding "no" to Sympatico.ca's poll, "will you be following the Olympic games this coming week?". And I believed it.

You see, my fandom of the Olympic Games is newfound. Three years ago, as I stood in Vancouver's city centre gazing up at an icy, translucent rock glowing a blue "3 years, 2 days, 3 hours, 14 minutes", I thought to myself "cool digital display, wonder how it works", and nothing more. As national advertisements went out for an open casting call to carry the Olympic torch in its relay from sea to sea, I never once considered applying, as I knew the experience would mean nothing more to me than maybe getting my (literal) 15 minutes of fame in my community. And when it passed by me in the street outside my workplace in Downtown Toronto, I cheered along with the others in my Olympic red mittens (a practical Christmas gift that do keep my hands toasty warm), I briefly felt a surge of "wow - this is happening in my country", which dimmed as the flame failed to stave off the bitter cold, and I was forced to run for the comfort of the nearest Tim Hortons.

I believe the Olympics are overrated, overvalued, and place emphasis on the less important qualities a country has to offer. What do sports and athleticism have to do with a country's greatness? Why do we place such value on a handful of a country's "elite" being able to bring home a pile of metal because they ran, swam, or jumped through a hoop the fastest, farthest, or highest?

When China hosted the Olympics two years ago, human rights issues were brought to light in the country's treatment of Tibet and its people, as well as human rights issues in its own country. And yet these issues were trumped on the world stage by Chinese athletes earning shiny metals, razzle dazzling the media and viewers all over the globe. My issue is - why do we allow sports competitions to define a nation? Why not social welfare, poltical stability, living conditions, and the humanitarian aid we offer to others in need? Hundreds of doctors, nurses, social work volunteers, and military personell travelled to Haiti in the past month to aid a population in crisis, going unnoticed, and likely uncelebrated - all while a well-to do athlete slips down a mountain, or scores a few goals, or skates the fastest, and becomes infamous and synonymous with a country's high status in the world. One that says, "yes, we're the best".

Ok, so I sound like I'm damning the hard work of athletes who have trained their entire lives to get where they are, and that's definitely not what I'm out to do. Everyone has their calling, and being an Olympian is no small task. I can tell you when my opinion in the Olympics changed, when this Olympics became special for me.

The moment Alexandre Bilodeau was announced as the gold medal winner of the men's downhill. The moment his Australian counterpart who won Silver visably showed disdain for coming in second and walked away as Alex tried to shake his hand. The moment Alex hugged his disabled brother and said "I did this all for you - you were my inspiration". The moment Alex invited that spiteful Aussie up onto the top of the podium and put his arm around him in celebration. Those were the moments that were truly Canadian for me. I love this country, it's people, it's land, it's hospitality and warmth. Canada, you truly are the best country in the world! Let's show the world who we truly are!