Olympic halfpipe champ Torah Bright upset she can't honour Canadian Sarah Burke | News and Blogs - CTV News at Sochi 2014

Olympic halfpipe champ Torah Bright upset she can't honour Canadian Sarah Burke | News and Blogs - CTV News at Sochi 2014



So there's the article. It's causing outrage and hair pulling throughout the snowboarding community, and I'm sure by the end of today it will be talked about  on by all the sports channels, the news, probably TMZ and maybe Jay Leno will return for one final joke.



However, I see it differently. So does Trennon Paynter, the head coach of the Cdn Ski Halfpipe team. He says, and I quote "We've known for two years that the Sarah stickers wouldn't fit within the Olympic protocol. No big deal."



Rule 50 in the Olympic Charter explains the policy. I can't be bothered to write it all down, it's long and filled with legalese, but you can just Google "Rule 50 Olympic Charter" and read it for yourself.



Basically, it's a blanket ban. The committee doesn't want to have to start to examine every single statement, sticker,  pin and embroidered logo. Once they allow a charitable sticker, you can be guaranteed that political innuendos will not be far behind...embedded discreetly, but there nonetheless. And then what? A line has to be drawn, and after all, it is a long standing Olympic rule.  And if that's the rule in the Olympics, well then, that's the rule.



And if you want to ski for Sarah, then ski for Sarah. Why do you need a sticker on your board to ski for Sarah? Wear it inside your helmet, wear a pin inside your jacket. Talk to her as you ski, don't ruin her memory by trashing the games that she fought so hard to get her sport into. Focus that energy into getting a place on the podium and thank her. Being a whiner  has no place in the Games.