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Posts Tagged ‘olympics’

Olympic Athlete Phelps Caught with Bong

10:49 am By Maegan La Mala · Celebrities| Chismes| Controversia| Drugs| Sports · Comments Off

2 Feb 2009

Gold medalist and all-around sports hero Michael Phelps is in the midst of what might be a decisive moment in his career: a scandal, according to some. A photo of Phelps puffing on a bong has surfaced, and las malas lenguas are all about taking him down for it. As is to be expected, the U.S. Olympic Committee isn’t happy:

The United States Olympic Committee, which Jan.22 named Phelps its Male Athlete of the Year, issued a statement saying it was “disappointed” in Phelps’ behavior.

“Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people. In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities.

Paralympics Begin in Beijing

12:40 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Beijing Summer Olympics| Sports · Comments Off

8 Sep 2008

Like most U.S. citizens, you probably weren’t aware that the Paralympics began this past Saturday in Beijing, China. What are the Paralympics? Originally billed as the “Parallel Olympics” to signify the fact that they ran “parallel” to the Olympics, the Paralympics is a two week long sporting event that centers disabled athletes. Modifications are made in different sports to accommodate the needs of physically, mentally and learning disabled athletes, including lowering nets in volleyball, and using bells to guide blind athletes.

Cuban Athlete Ousted for Kicking Referee

24 Aug 2008

Taekwondo isn’t a sport for the faint of heart, but the violence needs to be kept in the ring and the kicks directed at your opponent. But Cuban martial artist Ángel Matos apparently doesn’t see it that way. When Matos was down for count during yesterday’s finals match due to an injury, the ref called time, giving the win to opponent Arman Chilmanov of Kazakhstan. As Chilmanov celebrated jumping up and down, Matos jumped up himself and began screaming at the referee. His trainer joined in in the belaboring of the ref. Then the stadium went still as Matos delivered a huge kick to the referee’s unexpecting face.

Both Matos and his trainer, Leudis González, have been banned from ever participating in the Olympics again as a result of the attack. According to Spain’s El País, González insists that Kazakhstan “bought” the judges, bribing them into ruling in favor of their team.

Via / El País

Image via Reuters/El Pais

U.S. Defeats Spain for Basketball Gold, Argentina Takes Bronze

6:07 am By Maegan La Mala · Argentina| Beijing Summer Olympics| Spain| Sports| World · Comments Off

24 Aug 2008

Not too many of us will have had the energy to stay up all night to watch the game, but I’m here to tell you that the U.S. men’s Olympic team was unstoppable in the final match-up with current world champion, Spain. I was only able to catch the last quarter, and it was a super tight game. Spain and the U.S. were both at the top of their game (Spain was down an average of only 6 points) and it was disputable whether or not The Dream Team would actually win this one up until about 2 minutes before the final buzzer. In the end, the stars of the NBA triumphed over the Spaniards 118-107.

Spanish media is calling Spain’s loss a win, referring to the game as “the most dignified defeat” and “a golden silver medal”, given the fact that they were so very close to winning against the world’s most storied basketball team.

Argentina is also celebrating its triumph as bronze medal winners in basketball, stepping up to the podium in third place. An excellent representation for Latin America in one of the Olympics’ most watched sports.

Via / El Pais

Image via El Mundo

Latino Henry Cejudo Gets Olympic Gold, Gets Stereotyped

4:04 pm By Maegan La Mala · Sports| mexico| race| society · 3 Comments

19 Aug 2008

Latino wrestler Henry Cejudo took home the gold for the U.S. in men’s freestyle wrestling in a dynamic win today over opponent Tomohiro Matsunaga.

According to The L.A. Times, Cejudo, the son of undocumented immigrants, invoked his Mexican heritage as he spoke about his win:

“This is cool. Coming out of a Mexican American background, it feels good to represent the U.S.,” said Cejudo, whowasborn in Los Angeles. “Not too many Mexicans get the chance to do that.”

Cejudo’s parents divorced when he was 4 and he saw his father, Jorge, only one more time before he died in Mexico City. But his mother, Nelly Rico, raised a family of six children on her own, bouncing from low-paying jobs in California to New Mexico and Arizona, where the family sometimes slept four to a bed.

It’s a nice story, indeed. But what I personally don’t care for is the way his win is billed as “The American Dream”, supported comments from people who know him make it seem like that it’s a miracle he didn’t turn out to be a criminal in light of his family background. In fact, that’s exactly what they imply:

“He has done an unbelievable job coming from the environment that he came from,” his coach, Terry Brands, said. “Could be in prison. Could be a drug runner. Could be this, could be that. He’s done an unbelievable job of not being a victim.

Is this because he comes from a situation of adversity or because he comes from a situation of adversity and he’s brown? Way to taint an otherwise uplifting story…

Via / LA Times

Spain and Chile Triumph in Men’s Tennis

7:26 am By Maegan La Mala · Chile| Spain| Sports| World · 1 Comment

18 Aug 2008

Spanish Rafa Nadal is officially the number one tennis player in the world, having swiped away the title from Swiss Roger Federer at Wimbledon a few weeks back. And he further proved his dominance this weekend as he picked up the gold at the Olympics for men’s tennis. Here he is yuckin’ up with the press with the Queen of Spain looking sporty at his side:

Rafa beat Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez, but the defeat left Chile in not such a bad spot: taking home the silver medal for men’s singles. Watching Gonzalez get his medal – the first one for Chile in these Olympics — is quite moving.

Congrats to Rafa and Fernando!

Via / YouTube

Olympic Torch In Argentina : Symbols Are Powerful

10:00 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Argentina| Controversia| Sports · Comments Off

11 Apr 2008

Symbols are powerful, and the Olympic Torch, making its way around the world, is supposed to be a symbol of good sportsmanship. With the Olympics taking place in China, that country’s occupation of Tibet and protests against the occupation and the repression that comes with occupation have changed the meaning of the symbol.

Now the Olympic torch has arrived in Argentina, it’s only stop in Latin America. Thousands of police have been mobilized after protesters warned of a Buenos Aires surprise.

Activists were already preparing protests. One, Jorge Carcavallo, unfurled a giant banner along the torch route reading ”Free Tibet.”
Falun Gong member Axel Borgia said the spiritual movement banned by China would protest as well, but he wouldn’t give details. ”The Olympic Games and crimes against humanity cannot coexist in China,” Borgia said.

Handlers let no one publicly view the arrival of the flame in Buenos Aires. Latin American sports stars like soccer great Diego Maradona, Gabriel Batistuta, and former tennis star Gabriela Sabatini are all invited to form part of the official torch runners.

Via / BBC & NYT

Image Via / Huffington Post

Guevara: “Mexico’s destiny in the Olympics will be catastrophe”

10:58 am By Maegan La Mala · Sports| mexico · Comments Off

9 Jan 2008

One of Mexico’s biggest sports stars, runner Ana Guevara, is predicting doom and gloom for Mexico in the 2008 Olympic Games, and lashing out at the government for their lack of interest in sports in general:

The destiny of Mexico for the 2008 games in Peking is already decided: it will be a catastrophe,” said the Pan American champion Ana Guevara, who stated that no one cares about sports in the country, including the Public Education Secretary, Josefina Vázquez Mota, and the president of the republic, Felipe Calderón.

She reminded [reporters] that after a meeting a few weeks ago with government officials and several athletes, there has been no change, leading her to conclude that there is no interest on the part of authorities in rescuing sports.

Guevara is referring to the controversy surrounding Mariano Lara, head of the Federación Mexicana de Atletismo, who Guevara accused of corruption. Lara received a 4 year suspension last month, but Guevara fears he might be pardoned, telling reporters “If they pardon Lara, that will speak to how corrupt everything is.”

In protest, Guevara had already said that she would not be participating in the 2008 games.

Via / La Jornada

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