Olympians score Internet kiddie-chat perk

26 February 2008 in Human Nature, Internet by Stilgherrian | 6 comments

Not only do Australia’s Olympic athletes have superb pectorals, the government has set them up with a bevy of 5 to 12-year-olds to chat to on the Internet.

Olympian Andrew Gaze says the program will provide inspiration to young people and the Olympic team.

Indeed. And if you set up, say, Wollongong property developers with a bunch of pre-pubescents online, Serious Questions Would Be Asked. Why are Serious Questions not being asked about this initiative?

Creepy.

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Tags: andrew gaze, beijing 2008, paedophilia

6 comments

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Nick Hodge on 26 February 2008 at 5:36 pm

I am more worried about sports-psychology speak infiltrating our young-uns

“Yes, I was tired in the heats, but my training got me through to the finals. I’d like to thank my mum, god…”

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Snarky Platypus on 26 February 2008 at 5:49 pm

I think you’ve missed the mark on this one, Mr Stilgherrian (even on the snark level) – many kiddies idolise the Olympians; Wollongong property developers, not so much. I assume there will be appropriate monitoring.

From experience, communicating with athletes isn’t the most stimulating of activities once the “OMG it’s xxx” thing is over. However, I guess the “OMG it’s xxx” thing is usually enough for the kiddies.

Reply
Stilgherrian on 26 February 2008 at 9:35 pm

Maybe my experiences with Olympic athletes are atypical…

Reply
Richard on 27 February 2008 at 11:39 am

Am I the only one that’s totally creeped out by the Australian Institute of Sport? It’s like something out of ‘Gattaca’….

Reply
Sweet Sister Morphine on 27 February 2008 at 3:16 pm

@ Richard:

I’m not so much creeped out by the AIS specifically, as the deification of professional athletes generally.

Reply
Stilgherrian on 27 February 2008 at 4:43 pm

For me the AIS isn’t so much Gattaca as some sort of weird factory for making well-muscled and well-coordinated Ken and Barbie doll Übermenschen. (Presumable someone will tell me they’re trademarked names. Of course they are, that’s why we all know them.) Sport has become international war by proxy.

I know that part of the training is about doing media. But I think it’s unnatural for an athlete to be able to spiel off their own well-packaged self-analysis within 20 seconds of winning a race. Good heavens, people, let them catch their breath!

And I reckon it’d be a lot more interesting if it wasn’t the usual well-worn, well-rehearsed comments, but a heartfelt, “Man! I’m fuckin’ stoked! That was awesome!”

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