What do you think about Americans playing for Russian teams in the Olympiads of China?

Question

International organizations and global diversity;

A blond girl in the Russian woman team, and a black dude in the Russian men's team. Both representing Russia, and the Russian Flag.

Dara Torres must join the Mexican or Israeli team as well! lol

Answer 1

I think that those two individuals are native-born Russians.  A lot of athletes will represent their home countries in the Olympics, even though they are citizens of a different country.  

I would not judge the Olympic Games based on the foolish decisions of a few athletes.  There are still some very good amateur athletes who compete and are keeping alive the spirit of the games.

Answer 2

Well at least Chinese still run for China.

Answer 3

What are you talking about.?

Answer 4

I think the Olympics are a joke anymore.  Professional athletes competing, Olympic athletes posing nude for Playboy, people using the occasion to bring attention their political view, athletes taking huge amounts of advertising money.  There's nothing pure about the Olympics anymore.

Answer 5

So, what's the big deal

Answer 6

Yes, because there are no blonde people in Russia, especially all the descendants of the... you know... blonde Slavic and Nordic people that originally inhabited Russia.

Yes, because it is okay for black athletes to represent the U.S., but Russia cannot possibly have a black Russian athlete. I have always wondered why Lebron James is not playing for Kenya, or Namibia, or Zaire (don't know his ancestary)?........

Yes, because Torres is most certainly an Israeli last name...

However, I do agree that the Olympics are becoming a joke, and I generally do not agree with a person of one country representing another... With exceptions: Maybe this person was born in Russia? I think parenting influences kids more than anything, so if he/she has Russian parents, he/she is still more Russian-like than anything. Maybe they have lived there for a long time, or do currently? Maybe their professional sports career is in a Russian league? Maybe they have some small connection with Russia, and were not able to make the U.S. team but were able to make the Russian one... so why not?

Answer 7

I think it stinks, and further devalues the Olympics, in my mind.  They're athletes for hire, nothing else.  While I do believe that both athletes in question may have played in Russia's professional league, that doesn't make it any better.  Russia gave them some type of citizenship just weeks before the Games began; this ought to not be allowed under Olympic rules.

Also, given how political the Olympics are, it also strikes me as disloyal to the U.S.