Article mentioning Ross Rebagliati - March 11, 2009
It’s been said that nothing good in life comes without a struggle. In regards to the brash sport of snowboarding, IOC officials can attest to that expression now, but they likely weren’t so upbeat in 1998.
That’s when the rebellious sibling of skiing made its inauspicious debut on an Olympic program. At the time, snowboarding was still banned by a number of mountain resorts and some of the participants emanated an arrogant vibe. Still, the IOC recognized the sport’s growing popularity, especially among the ever-important youth demographic. So, on the heels of introducing the extreme sport of freestyle skiing (moguls in 1992, aerials in 1994), snowboarding made its Olympic debut at the 1998 Nagano Games.
Forgive the IOC for regretting that decision soon after the first snowboarding medal ceremony. Canadian Ross Rebagliati, who won the men’s giant slalom event, was stripped of the first Olympic snowboarding gold medal ever handed out. He tested positive for marijuana, but was later given back his gold when it was decided the drug was not performance-enhancing. Rebagliati said he inhaled second-hand smoke prior to leaving for the Games.
Nevertheless, the situation did little to improve an already-touchy relationship. Similar to the audience the IOC wanted them to attract, snowboarders weren’t the best at dealing with authority.
Sure, they wouldn’t mind an organization that set up events and handed out cash prizes, but they wanted it on their terms. Hence, the International Snowboarding Federation (ISF) was formed in 1990. It was founded by and for snowboarders, whose motto included being a “lifestyle/peace movement and philosophy.” With their own running the show, fun would remain everyone’s top priority.
However, the larger, more established International Ski Federation (FIS) noticed the sport’s continued rise, and changed its stance on allowing snowboarding under its umbrella. It recognized snowboarding as a sport for the first time in 1994, and began pushing for its inclusion in the Olympics. Some ‘boarders welcomed the idea of more exposure, but another sect opposed the bureaucratic structure they thought would come with the FIS and IOC. So both snowboard organizations promoted their events separately.
But in 1995, the IOC acknowledged the FIS as the sport’s official governing body, and announced that snowboarding would join the Olympic program three years later with help from FIS funding. The FIS was more stable and boasted the experience to arrange events, sponsors and TV contracts. In 1996, the first FIS Snowboard World Championships took place in Lienz, Austria.
Obviously, the choice of FIS over ISF didn’t sit well with some of the top snowboarders, namely Norway’s Terje Haakonsen, widely considered to be the world’s best halfpipe rider at the time. So he and a few others boycotted the Olympics.
When action kicked off in the mountains east of Nagano, though, talent was not lacking. Each winner of an Olympic discipline (Men’s and women’s halfpipe, men’s and women’s giant slalom) from the 1997 World Championships was present, including American Sondra Van Ert, reigning world champion in women’s giant slalom. And one of the most anticipated showdowns figured to be American Todd Richards, 28, up against his 18-year-old compatriot, Ross Powers, in the halfpipe.
Alas, no Americans would win gold; Powers’ and Shannon Dunn’s halfpipe bronzes were the only U.S. medals. In addition to Rebagliati’s victory, France’s Karine Ruby won the women’s giant slalom, Switzerland’s Gian Simmen won the men’s halfpipe, and Germany’s Nicola Thost won the women’s halfpipe.
The sport didn’t need U.S. triumph to be considered an overall success, though. The IOC loves parity among the nations, and no country won more than two snowboarding medals in 1998. The bad weather that dampened the debut was unfortunate, but did little to wane interest. It was estimated that nearly 10,000 people witnessed snowboarding in person in Nagano.
Olympic snowboarding has only grown since, especially in the U.S. The crowd tripled in size four years later at the Salt Lake City Games, where the U.S. won five snowboarding medals -- including a U.S. men’s halfpipe sweep -- and snowboarding made its way into national primetime television. It would again be a TV fixture in 2006, when the U.S. won seven snowboarding medals, thanks to two more events being added: men’s and women’s snowboard cross (giant slalom was replaced with parallel giant slalom in 2002). Such a success was that event that ski cross will make its debut in the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Before making its fourth Olympic appearance, snowboarding is already exactly what the IOC hoped it would be -- a sport that sparks Olympic interest and is cool with the kids. And the Olympic movement is finally cool with the riders.
Suffice it to say: The struggle was worth it.