It’s not the “yes” they were looking for, but representatives of women’s ski jumping in Canada and the United States say they’re encouraged by the IOC’s announcement that their sport may be in the Sochi Games.
Olympic officials said yesterday they need more time to decide whether women’s ski jumping is ready for the Olympics and that the final decision will be made sometime after the World Championships in Oslo in February.
“We are taking this as a win,” said Women’s Ski Jumping USA spokesperson Deedee Corradini.
“We would have preferred it if we’d had an absolute win with no condition, but … the IOC did say that they’re looking at women’s ski jumping very favourably.”
Zoya Lynch, a former ski jumper who was part of the lawsuit demanding VANOC add a women’s component to the Vancouver Olympics, said she can’t see a reason why the IOC will say no this time.
“As soon as they go to Oslo and see the show the girls put on, there’s going to be no question they’ll (allow the sport in Sochi),” she said.
Brent Morrice with Ski Jumping Canada said he’s so certain the sport will be added to 2014 that his organization is getting its team prepared for the Olympics.
The IOC said it didn’t allow women’s ski jumping into the 2010 Games because the sport didn’t have enough elite competitors.
Women from around 20 countries are expected to compete in the upcoming World Championships.
