I guess we'll agree to disagree. Finding a loophole doesn't give her a right to be there, or at least IMO. Her skill level obviously showed that she shouldn't of been there.
There's a whole bunch of people who did the same. They weren't good enough to qualify in the country they are a citizen of, so they decide to go and try and compete under the country of their ancestral lineage. That country doesn't even have a program they want to compete in? No biggie!! We'll make it work just so I can compete...even knowing I have zero chance and wasn't good enough to make the cut in the country where I live.
Trust me...she's not the only offender. Far from it. But I suppose since she's American, she's getting the spotlight because "ugly Americans" type of thing.
If other so called athletes are doing it, I find it equally disgusting. Not sure who's worse, the IOC for allowing the loopholes, or the unethical people taking advantage of them.
There are TONS of athletes doing it.
Part of the problem is the IOC rules. But moreso the rules in the sports the people are competing in. See, back when Eddie the Eagle went to the Olympics, it's was pretty wide open. It's how he managed to weasel his way in. But after that Olympics, the IOC instituted the "Eddie the Eagle Rule". That rule meant that to qualify for the Olympics competitors had to compete in international events to garner enough points (or a % of the best qualifiers) to compete in the Olympics. There are MANY events. So these athletes wanting to skirt the rules are choosy about which events they enter. And if they game the system just right, they can go to the games. And even if they don't get enough points, there are some "exceptions" that allow them in.
The other things that's a bit crooked maybe is that even though you are born Canadian, if your grandparents are from "XYZ" country you can technically compete for that country. So let's say "Buddy" wants to compete in half pipe for Canada. But he's too garbage to make Canada's team...because he doesn't know how to snowboard. But since his grandparents were born in Fiji, he can compete as a Fijian....so long as he garners enough points. He's so garbage he won't win....he couldn't even make the Canadian team....but by rule, he can be on the Fiji team.
Oh...and to see the ultimate in Olympic/IOC corruption....please watch the movie Icarus, Shane. Your head just might explode though! It's a really fascinating, infuriating movie.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/icarus_2017/
