2002 Winter Olympics

Prior to these Olympic Winter Games, a number of IOC members were forced to resign after it was uncovered that they had accepted inappropriately valuable gifts in return for voting for Salt Lake City to hold the Games. IOC President Dr. Jacques Rogge and new CEO of the Salt Lake Games Mitt Romney then staged the Games and contended with the public opinion backlash due to the scandal.

In the first week the figure skating competition resulted in the French judge's scores being thrown out and the Canadian team of Jamie Salé and David Pelletier being awarded a second gold medal.

Athletes in short-track speed skating and cross-country skiing were disqualified for various reasons as well (including doping by two Russians in the cross-country skiing), leading Russia to file protests and threaten to withdraw from competition.

Security measures

These Olympic games were the first since September 11, 2001, which meant a higher level of security than ever before provided for the Games. The Office of Homeland Security (OHS) designated the Olympics a National Special Security Event (NSSE).

When he spoke during the opening ceremonies, Rogge, presiding over his first olympics as IOC president, told the athletes of the host country: "Your nation is overcoming a horrific tragedy, a tragedy that has affected the whole world. We stand united with you in the promotion of our common ideals, and hope for world peace." [1]

Highlights

Detail of the 2002 Winter Games Olympic Torch

Olympic flame at Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremonies.

*The opening ceremonies saw some signs of the aftermath of September 11, 2001. They included the flag that flew at Ground Zero, NYPD officer Danny Rodriguez singing "America the Beautiful," and honor guards of NYPD and FDNY members.
*During the opening ceremonies, just before the parade of nations, there was a segment honoring all Olympic Winter Games. [2]
*The Olympics marked the first time an American president opened a Winter Olympic games held in the United States.
*Competition highlights included biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen, winning gold in all four men's events (10 k, 12.5 k, 20 k, 4 x 7.5 relay), Simon Ammann of Switzerland taking the double in ski jumping, and alpine skier Janica Kostelić winning three golds and a silver (the first Winter Olympic medals ever for an athlete from Croatia).
*Skeleton returned as a medal sport in the 2002 Games for the first time since 1948.
*A feature of these Games has been the emergence of the so-called "extreme" sports, such as snowboarding, moguls and aerials, which appeared in previous Olympic Winter Games but have captured greater public attention in recent years.
* American Sarah Hughes won the gold medal in figure skating. American and heavy favorite Michelle Kwan fell during her long program and receives the bronze medal.
*China won its first and second Winter Olympic gold medals, both by women's short track speed skater Yang Yang (A).
*One of the most memorable stories of the event occurred at the men's short track. Australian skater Steven Bradbury, a competitor who had won a bronze in 1994 as part of a relay team but well off the pace of the medal favourites, cruised off the pace in his semifinal only to see his competitors crash into each other, allowing him through to the final. Bradbury was again well off the pace, but lightning struck again and all four other competitors crashed out in the final, leaving a jubilant Bradbury to take the most unlikely of gold medals, the first for Australia – or any other country of the Southern Hemisphere – in the Olympic Winter Games.
*Finally, the Canadian men's ice hockey team defeated the American team 5-2 to claim the gold medal, ending 50 years without the hockey gold. The Canadian women's team also defeated the American team 3-2 after losing to them at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano.

Medals awarded

Salt Lake City 2002 medals

{
* Alpine skiing
* Biathlon
* Bobsleigh
* Cross country skiing
* Curling
* Figure skating
* Freestyle skiing
* Ice hockey