Val Fox Writes

    An August 3  newspaper article about Canadian Olympic athletes got me steamed.  The reporter wrote in a way that implied Canadians would be shamed if our team returned home without gold medals.  The writer's words did not support Canadian athletes that sacrificed most of the last several years to achieve enough skill to make the Olympic Team; rather, he used words such as disappointing, embarassment and loss.

Every time I read one of these pieces I have to just put the paper down and take a deep breath.  All athletes that made it to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London have already won a huge victory.  Just getting on the team takes a massive effort and years of training and practice.  I will never be ashamed of any one of them.  They did it.  They made it to London.

Even if our athletes don't all make it to the podium there are many of us back home celebrating with you - your achievements, dedication and example.  I challenge any one critical of your performance to try and make it to the team themselves.  The added pressure of a Nation expecting only gold does not help.

ALL the athletes deserve our respect and support.  I am proud of them.

Olympians, coaches, London 2012, Canadian athletes, Olympic medals