Friday, February 8, 2002
Facing a new reality
By STEVE BUFFERY -- Toronto Sun
SALT LAKE CITY -- The Canadian short track speed skating team got a taste of the new Olympic spirit yesterday -- drugs and security issues.
Twice, the squad's pre-Olympic Games news conference was interrupted by solemn security officials, who felt it necessary to update a group of Canadian sports writers about a suspicious package found a few hours earlier in downtown Salt Lake City.
As Sgt. Craig Gleason of the Salt Lake police department discussed details of the package, which bomb squad officials detonated a short while later, the mainly francophone contingent of skaters sat at the head table, totally confused, looking like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights.
And if that wasn't enough, before the question and answer session began, a spokesman from the team's nutritional supplement sponsor stepped up to the podium and informed the gathering the product it provides the Canadian team will not cause anyone to test positive.
So of course, when the preliminary segment was over, the first question the skaters were asked was if they felt safe competing at these Games here in Utah's largest city, which is beginning to look more and more like an armed camp.
"We think a little bit more about it but we're not here to really worry about those things," team star Eric Bedard said. "We all know about what happened (on Sept. 11) and what might happen here, but I don't think it's going to happen. We're here to compete and personally I'm focused on what I have to do. And I know the security here is really good and I have my faith in them."
The Canadian Olympic Association has a lot of faith in the short track squad, which is expected to at least match its performance of two gold and two bronze medals at the 1998 Nagano Games.
One of the champions from four years ago, Annie Perreault of Rock Forest, Que., is back with the Olympic team. Unfortunately, the 30-year-old skater made the squad only as a substitute and likely will not see action.
Not that she has deteriorated as an athlete.
Perreault, the 500-metre gold medallist from Nagano, suffered a brutal injury at a meet just over a year ago. The personable skater was tripped up and went tumbling on to the ice along with a competitor whose skate slashed into her leg, causing a 115-stitch gash and extensive muscle damage.
SURGERY
Perreault underwent surgery and was in a wheelchair for a month. Three months after the accident, she was back skating and was able to compete on the World Cup circuit this season.
Sadly, the injury cut into her off-season training and she was not able to earn her regular spot on the team.
Still, she is happy to be here.
"Sure it's tough (being a sub), but that's life and it's a victory for me to be able to walk and skate," she said.
2002 Games Short Track Speed Skating Coverage
