Okay, so I get why I don't have tickets to the Olympics. But I do not understand why an Olympian's parents don't have tickets, especially when they are prepared to pay full price for them. That's currently the case with Tugba Karademir's parents. You'll recall from 59 Days that Karademir is a Turkish figure skater who will be making her second appearance at the 2010 Winter Olympics in February. At the previous Olympics in 2006, she qualified so last minute, that her parents didn't have the chance to get tickets to see her compete in Turino. This year, even though they had plenty of time to prepare, they just can't seem to get their hands on any tickets. Unlike other countries, who help athletes' families make the necessary provisions to cheer on their family members, the Turkish Olympic Committee does not have the means to help the Karademirs. At the end of the day, the Olympics is a money-making business, so I won't even bother suggesting that athletes' parents be given free tickets. But it seems to me that there is no reason why some Olympic governing body, whether it be the I.O.C. or the host nation's Olympic committee, shouldn't give each athlete the opportunity to buy tickets for a limited number of family members to attend the events in which they will be competing.
UPDATE: It appears that Tugba Karademir's parents are headed to the Olympics. Apparently, a woman with tickets to the ladies figure skating short program and long program will not be going to the Olympics after all and those tickets now belong to Tugba's parents. Don't you just love happy endings?
in 2003, the 2010 Winter Olympics was awarded to Vancouver over Pyeongchang, South-Korea by a margin of three votes. The final tally was 56 in favor or Vancouver, to 53. (Just lost a 53 stat right there...)
There are only five countries that have participated in every Summer Olympics - Australia, France, Great Britain, Greece and Switzerland. Great Britain is the only country that's won a gold medal at every Summer Olympics. The most gold medals they won in one Summer Games is fifty-six, which occurred in 1908 on their home turf, in London.
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The Olympic ticket sales process is quite complex. US athletes usually get 2 tickets per event for their family. Sport governing bodies sometimes obtain extra tickets on their athletes behalf early on in the process since teams are many times not determined until just a few weeks before the Games. All in all though, I would say that a majority of immediate family members are able to attend their athlete's events.
ReplyDeleteAre you going to the Games?
It doesn't surprise me at all that the U.S.O.C. has a better system in place than the Turkish Olympic committee. It's just a shame when the family members who are up at dawn to get their kids out of bed and to practice, etc. wouldn't be able to share in the Olympic experience as well.
ReplyDeleteI would absolutely love to go to the Olympics, but it does not seem to be happening this time. There's always Sochi. :)