aside 25 Aug
Controversy of Olympic Proportions
By Samson Afolabi-11th Grade, Trinity Christian School
It is time for that sporting event that happens every four years, and this year, it is the beautiful city of Rio de Janiero. The Olympics are a beautiful time of togetherness and truth, but this year was a little different. This Olympics has had its fair share of scandals and controversies, ranging from the sports section to the audience. It was not a tumultuous time, and it did not steal thunder from the games, but it still was very groundbreaking.
One of the biggest controversies still being talked is the one about Ryan Lochte. Lochte has been caught for lying about being held at gunpoint, when in fact, he had the cops called on him and his friends during their wild night out. This has led to his friends being taken by the police and his now tarnished reputation. He made a public apology recently, but that did not stop the Speedo company, Ralph Lauren, and some of his other endorsements to pull their support from him. This was a stupid mistake he made, and while he learns his lesson, it also sets an example to show how Olympic athletes should act as they are now role models.
Another controversial story that happened in the Olympics had to the with the U.S. Women's Track and Field. During a qualifying race for the 4×100 race, they had dropped a baton, which normally would have them disqualified. However, it was protested due to a Brazillian team member entering their lane, and so at the expense of Brazil, they were allowed to redo the race, but by themselves to qualify. While they were met by a supporting crowd, there were some who did not take a liking to their permittance to redo the race. This just goes to show that anything can happen at the Olympics.
Finally, another scandal that took place during this year's Olympics had to the with the illegal sale of tickets. A member of the International Olympic Council's executive board, Irishman Patrick Hickey, was accused of conspiring with several for the scalping of Olympic tickets. This means that he was planning to sell illegal tickets, which is an important matter to the Committee, and they are serious into this matter. Even at the Olympics, you can expect to see scandals of a high degree.
This year's Olympics was a mess hall of controversies and scandals that are too many to list here. It just goes to show that not even the Olympics is safe from the injustices of the world. In a celebration of friendship, you can see discord that does not need to be there. Hopefully, these issues will die down, and the next Olympics in Tokyo will be free of any problems.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/u-s-womens-relay-team-makes-4×100-final-after-controversial-baton-drop-220608193.html
Irish IOC exec Patrick Hickey arrested by Rio police for scalping Olympic tickets
http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/ryan-lochtes-perfect-summer-scandal
Samson is an 11th grader at Trinity Christian School. He lives in North Braddock and has been on the Trinity School Newspaper Staff. He is interested in programming, and is seeking to major in cyber security and have a career in cryptology.
Rio de Janiero