Isabelle Haansen for the third time in her career fulfilled the international requirements to appear at the Olympics. And just like in Sochi in 2014 and 2018, the Dutch federation decided that it did not meet the national requirements and would not appear at the Beijing Olympics. The Dutch woman was in the 14th place in the world ranking just before the Olympics, but it turned out to be too little.
Haansen did not hide her disappointment with the fact and appealed against the decision of the Dutch Ski Association, but this did not change her mind. – It’s like an emotional rollercoaster. From winning and then crushing it, said the 11-time Dutch national champion, who was to compete in the ski halfpipe in Beijing, in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
The Dutch Ski Association explains its decisions
The Dutch woman feels particularly frustrated by the fact that the Dutch union has made exceptions for two athletes who have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. In her opinion, the pandemic made it even more difficult for her to achieve good results than for others. – This year, exceptions were made for COVID-19 as many athletes were affected by the pandemic. We couldn’t take part in as many competitions as usual. But I found it strange that no exception was made to me, especially because I was affected by the pandemic even more than others, emphasized Haansen.
The general director of the Dutch Ski Association explained this decision in an interview with Deutsche Welle. – Isabella was affected by the pandemic like the others. We selected the other two athletes based on their performance and their chances of reaching the final. We treated all three of them equally. It’s nothing personal to Isabelle, but she didn’t meet the national requirements, and based on her results, we decided she was not even close to competing in the final, admitted Fritz Avis.
– We have many athletes whom we do not support, not because we do not want to, but because we do not have money for all disciplines. I want to help everyone make their Olympic dreams come true, but we have to be realistic. The ski half pipe is a very small sport, concluded Avis.
Haansen: People in power are focused only on medals
Hanssen decided to take the floor by posting on LindkedIn. – I’m not the best half pipe skier and I don’t have medal potential, but I deserve a place – wrote the Dutch woman. Moreover, she drew attention to another problem in Dutch skiing. – You can’t expect a medal if you don’t even invest in it. Nothing will change until the people in charge of the Dutch Ski Association retire and new, younger people who are more disciplined appear to take their place. People in power are now focused only on the medals and disciplines they like, she added.
Haansen believes that the Olympics are about more than just a fight for medals. – Focusing on sport with medal potential leaves many sports in the shadows. This is contrary to the Olympic spirit, which is to connect athletes, sports and cultures, concluded the Dutch woman.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
