On Saturday morning, whilst listening to BBC Radio 5Live, I heard something that genuinely shocked me: One of the panelists on Colin Murray's mid-morning show denounced the Winter Olympics as a "posh, middle-class sport". Since my first introduction to the winter games in 1998 (Nagano), I have always looked forward to the games and had no idea as to how other people received it.
In truth, I suppose events like downhill skiing have never really caught the imagination of the public in the UK simply because of the fundemental lack of sustained snowfall. Ironically the snow this winter combined with the anticipation of the Vancouver game may have prompted more people to turn to winter sports.
Going back even to Calgary games in 1988, the antics of Eddie the Eagle in the ski-jumping only captivated the public because of the utter hopelessness of his participation.
The comment seemed to me to be an utter damnation of not only skiing but every other winter sport. Maybe it's just me being an absolutely devoted disciple of sport in general that has led to it irking me so.
Sir Steven Redgrave said that winter sports in this country need more funding if Team GB is to reach its medal targets. One medal (albeit a gold one) is hardly a decent return for all the effort put in by all the British competitors compared to the USA's total of 37.
Even South Korea managed to accrue 14 medals, all of them in speed skating, an indoor winter sport. Is this the way forward for Team GB?
Skiing and outdoor sports aside, there can't be any excuse for Team GB having an expert speed-skating team and especially a world-beating curling team. I was shocked to find that there is only ONE dedicated curling centre in England.
The whole issue boils down to one crucial problem; is there enough interest in winter sports in general to justify an increase in funding?
(Photograph taken from www.bbc.co.uk/sport)
