Goodwill

The United States Olympic Committee has asked me and six other athletes to take a trip to Beijing to promote the olympics and good will between the Chinese and Americans. The tour has been aptly named the "Beijing Goodwill Tour".

I am leaving on the 31st of this month for the tour and returning on the 5th of August. The athletes will be doing various press events and might perhaps have the opportunity to meet with the American ambassador. I'm excited to visit the site of the Olympics as I have heard that most of the venues have been built and almost all the preparations have been completed. What I'm really hoping for is the chance to check out the fencing venue-primarly as a boost but also as a tool for visualization.

When I was first asked to do this tour I wasn't thinking much about goodwill but more about a free trip to China. However, after hearing some recent stories from the Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro, it has become apparent to me that a Goodwill Tour is necessary.

The Pan-American Games are similar to the Olympics as it is a multi-sport event held every four years, but the Games only include the nations of the Americas. It's a fun event but it doesn't count for points towards qualifying for the Olympic Games-at least for the sport of fencing.

I have been told by some athletes and coaches that the US team wasn't always welcome in Rio. Many spectators would hold anti-American signs up including signs about getting rid of Bush. Although I am not a supporter of Bush, it's one thing for Americans to do it in their own country, but it's another to see foreigners holding up negative signs about your country during a sporting event. The athletes and coaches got along just fine but it was the spectators that made it into a political forum.

In a way I understand why they would use the Pan-American Games in this fashion. Not because this is a large public venue but also because the United States comes in as a tour de force. We are a large unit and the USOC provides a lot for the American athletes-we usually have a lot of details and matters taken care of for us. We often look like the big, rich, insensitive, bully. However, this being said, the Canadians also spend a lot of money to provide their athletes with everything they need in order to perform. So what's the difference? The United States is the most powerful country in the world and our every move is scrutinized-even at the Pan-American Games.

And so, the USOC is taking some initiative with Beijing-starting with the Goodwill Tour. Seven athletes are going to Beijing to represent the United States to show the Chinese (or at least whomever shows up to the press events) that we aren't so bad after all. The situation is a bit different as well-mainly because political policy towards China and political policy towards South America is very different. But all that aside-I think this is a nice gesture by the USOC.

As for this week-I am off to Colorado to visit with Felicia, work with a physical therapist out there, and meet with my sports psychologist at the US Olympic Training Center.

Until next time...