The Chinese Winter Olympics unfolded as a bland spectacle.  The ratings were the lowest for any Olympics.  An average of 11.4 million viewers watched each night as compared to the 19.8 nightly viewers for the Korean Winter Olympics in 2018. 

The reasons for the drop are varied.  The time difference and the lack of fans are obvious.  The COVID restrictions on coverage made for awkward broadcasts.  The men’s hockey event was hurt by the decision to not send NHL players. 

The doping scandal of the Russian skater, Kamila Valieva, was probably the biggest story of the games.  The decision of the Olympics Committee to allow her to skate after her drug test was positive made a mockery of the event.  The fifteen year old is recognized as the best skater in the world.  But, her falls during her performance led to the most dramatic moments of the Olympics.  As Kamila came off the ice in tears her coach berated her.  Her teammates were in shock.  The gold medal winner, Anna Schcherbakova, sat alone in a haze with her teddy bear.  The silver medal winner, Alexandra Trusova, threw a crying tantrum because she felt she should have won the gold.  It was a bizarre scene that mirrored the terrible decision to let Kamila skate. The idea that future participants must be at least 17 years old might be a wise one.

But still, there were good stories.  Norway, a country of five million, won the most medals. And, tiny Finland beat Russia to win a gold in the men’s hockey final.  The USA did well in snowboarding and bobsledding.

Hopefully, COVID will not impact the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. I will stay tuned.  Are you an Olympics fan?