So, as Boris pointed out, the IOC has told athletes not to particpate in journalistic activities, which to them, means blogging. This is good and bad. Bad cause i want to read the personal notes of the athletes rather than the contrived emotion and occasionally inane interviews. In some ways this ban is GOOD because it shows that the whole citizen as journalist/artist/communicator trip is on the radar of the “grey suits” who run the IOC (and of course control the world 
).
This is lame because many athletes use blogging as a means to stay in touch with family, friends and supporters.
A few examples of web stuff i’ve come across:
Kari Traa - the (uhh sorta hot) Norwegian mogul skiier keeps a “gossip” section on her site which she blogs about “controversial” content like where she is sleeping at the village (big screenshot on Flickr). However, the IOC has decided that her actions are verbotten (big screenshot on Flickr).
Why is this? In thinking it over, the IOC feels that athletes blogging either a) infringes on someone’s rights; or, b) has potential to be imflammatory or otherwise contrary to the Olympic ideals, or c), am i missing something.
Torino Conversations – With athlete’s blogging is not allowed, corporate sponsor (err sorry, … Olympic “family”) blogging is allowed as demonstrated by a certain sugar-laden, artificially-colored beverage company’s attempt at promoting citizen journalism. It comes across as amateurish, not amateurish like, “ahh these kids are making it themselves” but amateurish like an ad exec said, “hey billy, you like that Internet, go make find kids and do some of that bloggin stuff my kids talk about” While the kids who are getting the trips are stoked, and the result is just lacking in any sort of insight or cutting-edgeiness.
Off the Podium is IOC’s official site seems to be geared towards USA disenchanted youth apparently. They spent a lot of money on this Flash-o-mania site with moving shit and popping up console windows. Mostly bios on athletes and explaining why said athletes are “cool.” Seems like there is some good content here, just so buried in the endless container (egads, frames) that it isn’t worth the brain-strain.
TV coverage is starting back up so this is all you get for now. Enjoy!
More later on Begg-Smith spam-antic, more websites, and hockey blather, and oh yea, i haven’t forgot about the SLC Flashback series but i am still putzing away at it – thanks for caring.
