Ah, sweet sweet double standards

Xiney

So, as you may or may not know, the Canadian Women's Hockey team bet the USA 2-0 last night to win Olympic Gold. (w00t!)

After they recieved their medals, and after the audience left the building, their celebration spilled out of the dressing room and back onto the ice, where they drank beer (Molson Canadian, which tastes like piss, but I suppose it's a patriotism thing) and smoked cigars.

The IOC and the American media are SHOCKED and APPALLED at this flagrant disregard for morals and appropriate behaviour. :rolleyes:

True, Marie-Philippe Poulin, the youngest member of the team and scorer of the two Canadian goals doesn't turn 19 until next month, which is the legal drinking age in British Columbia. However, she's from Quebec, where the legal drinking age is 18, and it's quite possible she forgot, since she's been allowed to drink in her own home province for nearly a year.

Apart from that, I see no problem with their behaviour and I can't believe the double standard since I STRONGLY suspect there would have been no controversy whatsoever were it a men's team celebrating in such a fashion.

http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/hockey/story/2010/02/26/sp-hockey-women-drinking.html

Silverfish

From the pictures, it doesn't exactly look like a wild party .... it looks like a picnic.

Seems like a total overreaction.

princess-lala

Looks to me like a total over reaction too, its not like they are 12 or anything :rolleyes:

SadieSue

Yeah I think its an overreaction also. Plus the American team were sore loosers.. most of them didn't even smile when getting their medals. Jaysus.

rainbow kirby

It's absolutely ridiculous. Aw shucks, a few beers and cigars, they've just won Olympic gold in Canada's national sport ffs!

I also agree that it's a total double standard - there would have been a whole lot less reaction if it had been a mens team. Heaven forbid that women may want to celebrate too.

SheRa

Xiney I was all set to completely agree with you (we see male racing car drivers getting champagne poured all over them when they win a big race etc and there is no fuss made then) then I saw the pictures...

The first picture looks like a bunch of people going knacker drinking, except they are in their national colours, wearing the medals that they have just won, with the Vancocer 2010 logo in the background. I don't care if it was men or women in that pic, I think that it is disrespectful to their country, to their sport and to all the hard word of the people that helped get them there.

The second pic shows them posing with cans of beer, still with the medals and the national jersey and I think that picture looks rotten too.

Maybe this shows my double standards about sportspeople with beer rather than champagne:D. Seriously though, if that was a picture of men I would think that it was just as inappropriate.

Something else just occured to me. While we see pictures of top male athletes/soccer players etc every day in the media, it is unusual to see many pics of the female equivilent. Now I know that there are many reasons for that, one big one is the media (and I suppose the publics generally) disinterest in female sportstars, unless they are deemed to be attractive, and so there are less female role models for young girls than young guys. This could have been a real positive story about women's hockey and instead gets turned into an alcohol issue.

Agent Smith

Infairness, what can they do? take the medals off them?

vicecreamsundae

I'm not surprised there was a big deal made about it, because whether male or female, as Olympian athletes they are promoted as wholesome role models to kids and teens in the US and Canada and i think it was a bad decision for them to engage in such behaviour while in their national colours and wearing their medals. I certainly don't think they should be punished, but I do think the negative press is somewhat deserved.

I think Shera has hit the nail on the head.
When they are wearing the uniform, and the medals. They should behave in a manner befitting the fact, that they are role models for the younger generation.
Regardless of their sex.

There was a furore a few years back, when the men's Roscommon football team. Upset the other guests at a hotel, with their drunken antics.
There was a genuine sense of disappointment in them. It was great for Roscommon bashers like me.
Like it or not. When your representing the hopes of a people. You'll will be held to a higher standard.



But anyways Fairplay to them for the win
3rd Olympic gold in a row isnt it?

metaoblivia

I think it's ridiculous. For a European led organization, the IOC certainly has its moments of prudishness. The only part of their celebration I thought was the least bit inappropriate was when a few took a ride on the Zamboni. And I thought the humor far outweighed the inappropriateness in that case.

I'm not sure if it's sexist though, because when it comes to gold medal celebrations the IOC can be a bunch of prudes, regardless of the athlete's gender. Just ask Usain Bolt.

I do think the comment that the American women were sore losers for not smiling on the podium is interesting though (btw, they congratulated the Canadians, applauded them, and basically said that they won the silver because the Canadians were the better team and outplayed them). I hear that a lot about women who don't smile on the podium - even if they're just wearing sad or disappointed face, not bitch face - and I almost never hear it about men when they don't smile on the podium. Just sayin... :pac:

amacachi

IOC annoyed at people having a good time. US media annoyed about losing. That's pretty much it.

liah

Oh give me a break.

The girls just beat the US in our national sport-- hockey-- after the boys managed to lose to the US for the first time in half a century.

They can do whatever the hell they want, Olympic logos or not. They deserve it. It's called "celebration" and EVERYONE does it, especially when it's something so monumental as a world event, why on earth should anyone be ashamed of it? Would you be ashamed if they did it behind closed doors? Probably not-- but why? What's the damn difference? Role model bullshït my arse. That's all it is. Keeping up appearances. I don't like bullshït and to be honest, I'm proud of our girls for celebrating the way they want to and not listening to anyone else's standards. They weren't plastered, they were having celebratory drinks without the bs.

Fair play to them.

And for the "knacker drinking" comment, would you ever piss off. They're sitting down with a couple drinks in an Olympic stadium, ridiculously worn out from competing in their country's pride and joy of a sport in their home country, and you're equating it to a bunch of good-for-nothings knocking back Tesco vodka in preparation to hassle the general public? Chrissake! You can't be serious! Get off the horse, it's far too high for you.

..and yeah, Molson is crap. They should've at least had Moosehead.

Edited to add a link to more pictures, and the digg comments for the article:
http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2010/02/26/canada-s-women-s-hockey-team-celebrate-with-beer-cigars-ioc-gets-huffy.aspx
http://digg.com/hockey/Stay_classy_Canada_Pic

The digg comments seem to get what I'm saying. I don't get why people are so easily bothered. They're just people having a good time.

Dudess

Gender double standards are an unfortunate reality - biased against men too. Three threads currently on the go immediately spring to mind: the one in After Hours about a woman in her 30s having sex repeatedly with a 12-year-old boy, a thread about a man being humiliated by women, and a thread about a man being questioned for taking a photograph of a child... his own child.

Raze_them_all

SadieSue wrote: »

Yeah I think its an overreaction also. Plus the American team were sore loosers.. most of them didn't even smile when getting their medals. Jaysus.

They just lost the biggest game of their life. Why in the blue hell would they smile?

myflipflops

Is the discussion whether they were right/wrong in their behaviour or that double standards are being applied with the reaction due to gender?

I certainly don't think it's a case of double standards due to it being the womens team. If anything, the Canadian men would probably get a much harsher reaction from the US media in the same scenario simply because the mens event is higher profile over there.

Xiney

If it had been Champagne, would that have been more acceptable, since it's a classier drink?

In fairness I honestly believe the only reason they were drinking beer was the name - Molson Canadian.

krudler

Dont see the issue at all tbh, whats the big deal? Americans just sore losers as usual and blowing this out of proportion? how is this any different than going out on the tear after winning anything?

metaoblivia

krudler wrote: »

Dont see the issue at all tbh, whats the big deal? Americans just sore losers as usual and blowing this out of proportion? how is this any different than going out on the tear after winning anything?

Just to be clear, this has nothing to do with America. The IOC took offense to the way the Canadians chose to celebrate their gold medal. They did the same thing to Usain Bolt in 2008. The IOC and it's president Jacques Rogge - not an American - has a history of taking themselves way too seriously. The American media are reporting on the story like other media outlets. And, much like the opinions on this thread, some think the Canadian team acted disrespectfully and some think they were just having fun and the IOC is being a killjoy. The Americans did not complain about the Canadians' celebration - that was all the IOC.

Vinta81

Americans are sore bloody losers. Can't wait for us (Engladn) to kick their asses in the World Cup :pac:

Victor

Whatever about beer, are cigars the right think to be associating with sport? Is it legal to smoke indoors in a sports stadium in BC? Is it appropriate to have glass bottles on the ice?

"Canada's Jayna Hefford (16) and Gillian Apps (10) pose for pictures during the team's post-game, on-ice celebration. (Chris O'Meara/Associated Press)" - giving 10 year olds beer and cigars now? :pac:

Wolflikeme

I wouldn't say it's a case of double standards here. I think the Olympics committees and the likes have always been fairly stringent. I knew people who competed at the Olympics, men and women and this has always been the case.

Now maybe there are examples of Olympics men's teams doing this and it being OK, I'm not sure. Just going from secondhand experience, if that makes sense!

BroomBurner

When they're found driving a golf buggy on to a motorway, that's the time to chastise them. Otherwise, the IOC shouldn't have complained.

In fact, the Canadian team are an excellent example of how you get to enjoy something after putting the hard work in. I think that's a better example than "work hard, work hard, work hard, role model for youth, blah blah blah". Young people don't give a toss whether their idols drink, smoke, etc.

Oh, I also don't think it's a gender issue either.

Creamy Goodness

Victor wrote: »

Whatever about beer, are cigars the right think to be associating with sport? Is it legal to smoke indoors in a sports stadium in BC? Is it appropriate to have glass bottles on the ice?

"Canada's Jayna Hefford (16) and Gillian Apps (10) pose for pictures during the team's post-game, on-ice celebration. (Chris O'Meara/Associated Press)" - giving 10 year olds beer and cigars now? :pac:

i hope to god that they are their squad numbers not their ages otherwise i feel soooo dirty .

speedboatchase

OP needs an example of inappropriate male sports celebration to show how the reaction is double-standards, rather than a hypothetical "I'm sure if men did this it wouldn't be news". Otherwise the argument has no grounds

Creamy Goodness

speedboatchase wrote: »

OP needs an example of inappropriate male sports celebration to show how the reaction is double-standards, rather than a hypothetical "I'm sure if men did this it wouldn't be news". Otherwise the argument has no grounds

in F1 and motoGP this happens every 2-3 weeks, nothing is said. this is what the OP is trying to get at, these are examples of men doing the exact same thing perhaps even less appropriate. Happens in soccer every time a team wins a cup, is anything said then? no nothing is said as if it's acceptable behaviour.

i believe they should be allowed celebrate how they see fit, nothing wrong with having a couple of drinks if they are of legal age.

Aidric

Much Ado About Nothing. Hang on William, this is the IOC here.

Giselle

It might be blown out of proportion, but if a law was broken (and I do take the point that she was legal in her home province) its fair game for the media to point it out.

They were hardly going to spot a member of the winning team breaking the law and not highlight the fact, whether they were male or female.

liah

Giselle wrote: »

home state

She's Canadian, not American.. Canada doesn't have states.

Anyway, if they're going to get upset about something so petty as a girl who's of age in her own province and only a few months away from being legal in British Columbia then that's ridiculously sad and shows that they really need to reconsider where their priorities lie.

Giselle

liah wrote: »

She's Canadian, not American.. Canada doesn't have states.

Anyway, if they're going to get upset about something so petty as a girl who's of age in her own province and only a few months away from being legal in British Columbia then that's ridiculously sad and shows that they really need to reconsider where their priorities lie.

Amended

Its a very minor thing, but I'm just pointing out that the breaking of a law, however petty, is newsworthy. I don't think its anything to do with double standards.

The Sweeper

Storm in a teacup tbh. If you want to see inappropriate post-sport celebrations, come support AFL - that way you can have a round of locker-room fisticuffs, a crap in a hotel corridor, group carnal knowledge of a drunk woman and then an all out drunken brawl outside a nightclub to round off your evening. ...and be back on the field playing next weekend.

liah

Well I guess we'll see how the boys party it up now! Canada just beat the States in the final in overtime. So proud, wish I was back on home turf right now.

Anyway.. I wonder if they'll have beer and cigars?

:|

Definitely don't think it was a gender thing.

In fairness they are entitled to a drink, but maybe they shouldn't have done it in their jerseys on the ice, bit iresponsible. But totally blown out of proportion.

Xiney

liah wrote: »

Well I guess we'll see how the boys party it up now! Canada just beat the States in the final in overtime. So proud, wish I was back on home turf right now.

Anyway.. I wonder if they'll have beer and cigars?

well, I doubt it, since the women got told off already.

but woo! Jesus Christ... not without trying to kill off all Canadians with heart problems in the process...

Bottle_of_Smoke

think the double standards alarm is on overdrive. almost as if peope enjoy getting offended/uptight about this kind of nonsense.

Football players contantly get a huge media frenzy over drinking

Podge_irl

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

in F1 and motoGP this happens every 2-3 weeks, nothing is said. this is what the OP is trying to get at, these are examples of men doing the exact same thing perhaps even less appropriate. Happens in soccer every time a team wins a cup, is anything said then? no nothing is said as if it's acceptable behaviour.

i believe they should be allowed celebrate how they see fit, nothing wrong with having a couple of drinks if they are of legal age.

They're different sports you know, with different governing bodies and different accepted practices. Female motorsports competitors also spray champagne and what not on a regular basis.

This is a question of the IOC being reasonably stringent on this kind of thing. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the team in question being female. As has been mentioned, Bolt rather nonsensically, got in trouble after his gold for a lot less.

dfx-

Xiney wrote: »

Apart from that, I see no problem with their behaviour and I can't believe the double standard since I STRONGLY suspect there would have been no controversy whatsoever were it a men's team celebrating in such a fashion.

On the contrary, I think had they lost twice in a week, it would driven Canadians to drink

ash23

I'm not a huge sportsfan so correct me if I'm wrong.
But I've been to Croke Park and a few rugby matches and even a soccer game or two.
I don't recall the team ever spilling out onto the pitch with a 6 pack in one hand and a ciggie in the other, sitting down in their jerseys and drinking on the pitch.

Don't they usually shower and contain the celebrations to the locker rooms or head off to the pub in their civvies?

Even the home coming celebrations they are usually suited and booted as opposed to being in their jerseys.

I don't think it's a sex issue. I just think it looks really bad tbh, common and unprofessional. And the youngster shouldn't have been drinking.
The cigar smoking is a bit off too what with the whole "cancer" thing. Hardly a good celebrationary tool to be using.

Tbh, men in sports get a hard time over keeping up appearances and being role models for young people all the time. Every time they booze it up and get into a fracas they are slated for it.
So shouldn't women in sport have the same standards applied?

flutered

from a pensioners point of view, p.c. gone ape schite.:eek: