Every winter since 1998, women have petitioned to be included in the ski jump portion of the Winter Olympics. But despite their efforts, and despite a 1991 law stating that all future games need be open to both genders, women are still not allowed to participate in the Olympic ski jump.
Some people surmise that gender discrimination is playing in at full force, but others disagree, arguing more reasonable cases for female ski jump exclusion. Joe Lamb, the U.S. ski team representative for the International Ski Federation’s ski jumping committee says that although it may seem discriminatory, “there are hundreds of other issues at play.” First on his list is that Vancouver, as a venue, can only accommodate so many athletes. In addition, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) sets strict guidelines for sports’ acceptance into the games, such as a high number of athletes across the globe and a history of world championships.
Times magazine, in reporting on the absence of female ski jumping in the Games, requested to speak with the IOC, which declined all interview requests. In lieu of an interview, the IOC did respond with a letter stating, “Women’s Ski Jumping does not reach the necessary technical criteria and as such does not yet warrant a place alongside other Olympic events.”
Regardless of any excuses on the part of the IOC, there’s no denying that some women kick ass at ski jumping. In fact, Lindsey Van, a woman, holds the world record for longest ski jump, which she ironically broke in Vancouver, at the jump built for the 2010 Games. Apparently, being the best ski jumper in the world, better than any man in the world, doesn’t warrant inclusion in the Winter Olympics, if you’re a woman.
[Via: Times]
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She does not have a world record, she held the record for a particular hill for a short while with 105 meters. The world record is 239 meters.