Kwan Withdraws

[erpowers]

Today it was announced that Michelle Kwan has withdrawn from the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino. It was announced that Emily Hughes will take Kwan's place. Yesterday Kwan fell during the practice for her short program. A short time after the fall Kwan went to the said of the rink, talked to the coaching staff, and then decided to cut her practice short. Later in the day Kwan hinted that she might withdraw from the games.

I think Kwan's coaching staff should have encourged her to stay and try to work things out. Nobody really has too much of a reason to be angry at her. However, I think her coaches should have reminded her that she got to the Olympics by being voted in by the committee and her withdrawal along with making some people angry could cause problems for the committee in that they were the reason she was allowed go the the Olympics.

[northzax]

1. better to withdraw now

and get the alternate time to get to Italy and prepare. She's a top flight athlete, she knows what she can and can't do, and if she doesn't think her groin will let her skate, then she is doing the right thing by saying "hey, I'm injured" instead of embarrasing herself on the ice and denying Emily Hughes her shot.

Sarah Hughes retired, Emily is her little sister.

[Berry Cool]

2. Kwan reinjured a groin muscle.

She didn't withdraw just because she fell during a practice! She was told by a doctor that medically, she's not fit to skate. She can't do it.

Kwan also doesn't have a "coaching staff." She has one coach, and from what I understand, that coach had some visa problems and was having trouble joining heri in Turin. Now, of course, the problem is academic.

At the time Kwan was voted into the Olympics, she must have appeared to the panel making the decision to be healthy enough to compete. It appears that she was, but she reinjured herself on the practice yesterday, and that was that. That kind of thing can't be "worked out." And no one really has much cause to be angry. It's the kind of thing that just happens.

[joeybee12]

3. Too bad, but she did the right thing...

...she still had about 8-9 days before the competition started, and even that probably would not have been enough for her injury to heal.

BTW, Emily Hughes is not in Turin right now because it was her decision--fool. It's not like her family could not have afforded it. She should have showed up and practiced the entire time. That's what Kwan did in '92.

[Dr.Thompson]

4. I Hate Michelle Kwan

She shouldn't have been there in the first place. She missed the Nationals, you know what? Injuries happen. Should Roger Federer, if he's injured, ask them to just let him into the finals of some tournament? "Oh, wait, come see me in my own private little rink in Cali. and I'll show you I belong instead of the other competitors who worked their butts off and actually qualified." Th's the breaks, kid. Oh, BTW, you've had 2 shots at the Olympics.too bad, so sad.

[greenbriar]

5. oh grow up

Kwan deserved to go and she did the right thing.

I will miss seeing her graceful moves.

probably won't even watch the olympics now.

[H2O Man]

6. Right.

Kwan is a classy athlete, who has won everything but Olympic Gold. It just wasn't meant to be. She is still one of the few reasons I would have been watching.

[KitchenWitch]

7. I felt really sad when I heard this.

She is such a classy and poised athlete (far more than Sarah Hughes - yes I know, her sister is replacing Kwan).

[mduffy31]

11. Revisionist history

I keep hearing all of this revisionist history with the '02 Olympics how Kwan was robbed again by someone on her team. If I remember right, Kwan fell during her routine and Sarah Hughes was the only one of the top 4 who didn't fall down, now I would say that she didn't deserve to win that time. What are we going to give people points because the "deserve" to win and not on what they actually do. Kwan is a lovely girl, but she just didn't get it done in the Olympics.

[joeybee12]

13. I've never heard that...I've heard Slutskya's fans say she

was robbed (which she wasn't). Kwan skated poorly that night, Sraah skated very well--the one time in her career she did. She deserved the Gold, but tell me how she did in competitions after that????

[Dr.Thompson]

8. Growing Older but Not Up

That's good. Don't watch. She's the ONLY story or reason to watch the 2 week, once in 4 year event.

[friesianrider]

9. I have to agree.

I've competed in many different kinda of sports from horseback riding to lacrosse to soccer to track and never have I seen something like this happen. "Oh, well, I got injured so because of who I am why not just let me on the team anyway?" And then the powers-that-be allow it.

She's a gifted athlete for sure, but she had her chance (twice) and didn't make the cut. It's someone else's turn.

[jannyk]

10. Agree completely...

she did not earn her place on the Olympic team and cut someone who did out of her place on the team. Now the rightful competitor will take part in the competition and win or lose, the rest is just melodrama. As far as I am concerned justice is served.

[joeybee12]

14. I do not agree with you one little bit...

...I love the way people compare ice skating and the kind of competition with tennis, etc. Completely different sports. Kwan is head and shoulders above the rest of the US women--if anyone deserved to be put on the team, she did. They would have done it for Sasha Cohen also, and if she had been injured, she should have been given an opportunity to competee at an event that is held ONLY every 4 years.

[friesianrider]

15. You say Kwan is "head and shoulders" above the rest...

That's purely a matter of opinion. I just heard on the news that Kwan wasn't even the favorite of the American women to win. If Kwan was that good, she would have won the two times she was there already. She had her chance, twice, and didn't win gold.

Even if they would make an exception for someone else, so what? That would be wrong too - they shouldn't make that kind of an exception for anyone, regardless of who they are. I used to figure skate when I was a teenager and would be devastated if I got booted from a big competition I worked my ass off for, especially because of something as wrong as this.

If you're injured and can't compete to qualify for a certain event, then that's just too bad. I'm GLAD Kwan isn't competing and the one who should have been able to go from the get go will be able to have her chance.

Just my opinion.

[joeybee12]

18. 9 US championships, 5 World championships, yeah, that's an opinion

Emily Hughes is only going because of Kwan. Not every country gets to send 3, some only 2, some only 1. It depends on how your skaters do at the previous world championships. If Kwan had not taken 4th last year (her worst finish since she's been going) the US would have only been allowed two skaters to this Olympics. Hughes finished 3rd at this year's U.S. In other words, if Kwan had retired a while ago, Hughes would not be going at all.

[friesianrider]

19. You know what they say about opinions...

They're like assholes. Everybody has one.

[joeybee12]

20. Yeah, but the fact that Hughes is there ONLY because of Kwan

is a fact.

[friesianrider]

21. Right.

:eyes:

[joeybee12]

22. If Kwan had finished lower than 4th at last year's worlds, the US could

only have sent 2 women to this year's Olympics. Then, even if Kwan had not petitioned to be on, only the top 2 at this year's Nationals would have gone--Cohen and Meissner. Hughes would not have made the team. It's that simple. What about this don't you understand? In 94, the US only sent 2 women because at the previous world's, Kerrigan was the highest US woman at 5ht place.

[friesianrider]

23. Right.

[joeybee12]

24. Either that's sarcasm, or you agree with the facts...

...I vote for the first.

[GOPNotForMe]

25. Hater.

It is sad.

[jannyk]

12. Must See Tonight

the Pairs Skating!

Not gonna tell the results but it is an absolute must see. Shows the true spirit of the Olympics is not lost -it is about honour and courage - not medals.

[Baclava]

16. Go Sasha!

[erpowers]

17. Flying Tomato

I did not watch the story, but Flying Tomato might like her. I know he said he wanted to meet her. Just in case you are wondering Flying Tomato in the nick name of the snowboarder who won a gold medal. I know that his last name is white and I think his first name is Shaun.