The Ski Jump is closed for Women at the Olympics and a lot of people are asking “why?” Too Dangerous? Not enough Competitors? The Women Jumpers of the World are most upset of all since there is now a large level of Worldwide participation in the sport. They have taken measures to make the Women’s Ski Jump an event at the Olympics ever since 1998. Nonetheless, the Women’s Ski Jump did not make it into the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and the Female Jumpers will have to wait another 4 more years before they can try for an Olympic Medal.
No Women, No Jump
The main reason why women aren’t doing the Ski Jump is because of the small amount of female competitors worldwide. Since the Winter Olympic Games first opened in the 1924, the majority of athletes competing have been men. In fact, only 15 women competed at the first Winter Olympics and they were only allowed to compete in Figure Skating. The reason why few women competed was because it was culturally unacceptable for women to play sports and compete.
Hippie Hippie Hooray
As more and more women start competing in sports, the more chances the sport will become an Olympic Event. The Women’s Ski Jump is taking a long time, and many people are saying too long. Since the Women’s Rights Movement in the 1960s and 70s, the number of women competing in all sports has dramatically increased including the Women’s Ski Jump.
Lindsey’s Big Jump
Women are competing in the Ski Jump Worldwide that match the numbers of the Women’s Bobsled event. Other reasons like medical safety seem to be slowing the growth of the sport. The International Ski Federation says women have less mass than men and therefore it could be dangerous for them. But before the Olympics started, American Ski Jumper Lindsey Van successfully jumped the Longest Jump at the 2010 Whistler Mountain Olympic Ski Jump that broke World Records, so it is very clear that women are capable to perform at the same level as men.
Jumper In The Court
Since 1998, women have been fighting to get the Women’s Ski Jump into the Olympics. They have been writing petition after petition and when the 2010 Games chose the Ski Cross to be the only new event, women ski jumpers filed a Law Suit of Gender Discrimination against the Olympic Committee. Unfortunately the BC Supreme Court said that even though they found the Committee to be gender biased, they ruled that they were not able to make an international judgment.
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