( Samantha Rippington
A friend and fellow boater, Samantha Rippington, has taken LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) to court this week. She wants them to undertake an equality review of the Olympics which they have thus far refused to do. I hope you’re as shocked as I was to discover that there are still some Olympic sports that women can’t compete in but men can’t. No, you haven’t slipped through a time warp – we are still in 2012.
(There’s some information on my ‘professional’ site here: Samantha Rippington - and no, she’s not a client, just a friend)
Sam’s a brave girl. Since these are the people who have been so controlling about what goes on, communications wise, around the Olympics, she’s taking on the powers that be, and I would love it if you could try, somehow, to offer her some support. When there are some positive ways of doing that I’ll share them here as I get to find out more, but in the meantime, just a short message that I can show her, would let her – and the authorities – know that people are behind her.
You see, Sam’s at the height of her career. Things are going well for her. She’s an elite woman canoeist. But she’s fighting for future generations not to have to suffer gender bias when it comes to the Olympics, because she, like many other women athletes, is heartily sick of the fact that men and women are treated unequally.
I’m more conscious of the sports where men are being allowed to compete, but women aren’t – like the canoeing – but the reverse applies too: there are sports, no doubt, where men would like a higher profile. (The ones where the girls wear swimsuits or bikinis would be my guess, but hey, I may be selling the organisers short?)
Most athletes are afraid to make a stand because they don’t want to jeopardise whatever crumbs of sponsorship come their way. Don’t want to rock the boat. But Sam will do what’s right for the sport. She always has. She’s a volunteer for the BCU (British Canoe Union). She helps out at canoe and kayaking events. More intensely personal to me is the fact that Sam inspires people. She got my son into a kayak at a young age, something that has filled him with a confidence and independence that makes me want to well up when I think about it. If someone wants to get onto the water, Sam has always found a way to help them.
I guess, looking at the coke and burger sponsorships, the true spirit of the Olympics seems, to many of us, to have gone out. The Olympic athletes will run, jump and perform to the very best of their ability from next week and we’ll all be behind them, I hope. But wouldn’t it be great if LOCOG could do the same and make 2012 the last time we see this kind of inequality, and agree to take on the review? Wouldn’t it be great if the Olympics being run in our name was the one that made gender discrimination a thing of the past?
Thanks for the message. Continued support assured. This is an important issue – as much about confronting prejudice as about elite sport. Excellent stuff on womenCAN – but whoever said they cant ?? DO let me know if there’s something practical I can do to lend a hand. These little text boxes seem low impact. I retired just now and have a lot of spare time for letter writing etc. Weather precludes sea trips. Maybe I should get into flat water paddling – wonder if there’s an age bar ??
There are some interesting mythbusters here: http://womencanintl.com/wordpress/myths-vs-facts/
Cool blog – have an award! I had fun this, hope you enjoy: http://thelittlefarmhouse.wordpress.com/2012/09/08/very-inspiring-blogger/
I love it – thank you. Sorry to have been so slow in realising it was there – I’ve been slow about blogging for a number of reasons, all of which will become clear soon!
To Sam and Tracy: I came across this case by chance and was shocked – especially by the arguments put forward against the challenge – Of course the girls get left to the back of the queue AGAIN – and that has to change. I am an elderly male and have been paddling for more than 50 years – my experience (as a sea kayaker) is that the ladies have a refinement of skill and judgement that many chaps would do well to learn from, saving the coastguard and RNLI a lot of work. I think the problem for Samantha lies more with the Olympic authorities than with the BCU and the national bodies. (Discuss ??). I hope your daughter perseveres and one day no doubt we will see her at national and international events. John Ruston.(Postman) Ballycastle. North Antrim.
Hi Tracy,
Thank you for your kind words. It is for athletes like your daughter that I am pushing forwards with this case.
There is a lot of support for Womens Canoe around the world, however a lot of people outside of the canoeing world do not know that women cannot compete at the Olympics in Sprint or Slalom Canoe.
Please spread the word about it not being in the Olympics and together we will make it happen.
Kind regards,
Sam
I have a talented 14 yr old daughter who sheds blood sweat and tears in order to participate in the sport that is sprint canoe. All I can say is THANK YOU. It is about time that women’s canoe is ALLOWED in the Olympics. We are following your story. You are an inspirational ground breaker indeed.