Olympics
***originally published on February 5th, 2015
Terje Haakonsen is one of the best snowboarders of all time. The guy kinda invented half pipe snowboarding. Terje boycotted the 1998 Olympics in Japan where snowboarding made its Olympic debut. He still hates the Olympics and goes off when speaking to Mike Barr of Whitelines.com.
Terje Haakonsen: Why I Still Hate the Olympics
by Terje Haakenson/Whitelines.com
I can’t believe people are still asking me why I boycotted the Olympics in ’98. Seriously? I’ve answered that question a thousand times.
I decided my opinion about the Olympics before snowboarding was sanctioned. I was asked by MTV Sports to go to the Lillehammer Games in ’94, but I already saw then what bullshit the Olympics were. I don’t regret anything.
The only person that didn’t really understand at the time was my Dad. Of course, he’s from the older generation and had been brought up to see the Olympics as the pinnacle. But for me it’s too much to swallow for one event. Even now, today, all the stuff the IOC demands – from nations, sponsors, athletes – it’s insane.
Most of the stuff is out there and is easy to find out about. Yet people still support it. Why? Because they think it’s what they need to do for money and fast fame. Even if that’s only going to happen to maybe one or two guys every fourth year. And let’s not forget: they stole snowboarding from us.
They gave FIS, a ski federation, control of snowboarding, totally for commercial reasons. We all know that. And today they act as if they invented snowboarding, invented slopestyle. There’s just no respect for the history and culture of snowboarding at all. We don’t need FIS or the IOC. We can handle snowboarding ourselves.
They also destroyed the International Snowboard Federation, which at that point had been doing fine. And we’re still feeling the repercussions of that today. Every four years we mess up our own tour just so people can go to this one event where basically they own you.
I mean, you can’t even pack your own bag, some nations say you can’t even use your own social media ‘cos they want to control all the media. The sponsorship is controlled, and people have to suddenly promote Coca Cola and McDonalds. It’s really hard to understand why you would go along with this.
“There’s just no respect for the history and culture of snowboarding at all. We don’t need FIS or the IOC. We can handle snowboarding ourselves.”
Read the full article here:
Snow boarding a s while is on a serious decline that’s a fact. New school skiers are taking over the slopes. I truly believers boarders with this mentality are killing the sport. The we are bad ass we don’t need rules we are rebels attitude has drilled the entire sport into a distasteful corner and the very dirt bag image that is trying to be portrayed is dooming the entire sport. I am.involved at the young kids club level of bringing up boarders and skiers. The culture and tools available to young skiers is structured and available. But very little for boarders. How do you create enthusiasm and passion from.the grass roots with out the tools to get these young kids going. I could go on with facts and opinions all day. Bottom line is these “rebels and bad asses” are the ultimate demise of the growth of the very sport that they love.
He hates it because he can’t make money from it . Criticism comes from jealousy . I agree that the IOC overcontrols the athletes and the sport.
A lot of illiterate idiots on here .
I am snowboarding since 1989 and remember the days when snowboarding was not allowed in many ski resorts. IOC and FIS were not interested in snowboarding until they found out that they can earn a lot of money. That’s why I agree 100% with Terje.
“no respect for the history and culture” …. yeah whatever, pretty sure Turd was a ski racer and attending a ski racing academy when halfpipe snowboarding was being invented by the real pioneers of snowboarding.
Terje has been puttin up boundarys on snowboarding for ever , hating on certain tricks and styles ,bullshit .he has a small bag of trick cause of it.bein stubbor shouuld be labeled a disease.snowboarding is great cause the freedom we dont need boundarys .i watched this happen for 20 plus years.bridges was the same way .
Tell me the last GOld Medalist who didn’t make a fortune and or career simply out of being a Gold medalist. If Terje WAS a Gold Medalist, everyone would know that. The article wouldn’t have by telling us who he is (even though most of us do). Let it go… Snowboarding in the Olympics is the best thing to ever happen to Snowboarding.
Agree. Let’s just have an international hockey tournament and call it good.