Paris Olympic Games 2024: Past Olympians and ordinary Australians hit back at AOC’s party ban

The Australian Olympic Committee’s plan to kick Aussie athletes out of the village has been meet with severe backlash – from all parts of the country. Here’s why.

An Australian public fed up with woke politics and the cancel culture encroaching on sport have joined past and present Olympians in calling for Australian Olympic Committee wowsers to back off.

Every athlete who makes it to the Olympics deserves the chance to wind down after their events are finished and stay in the village to cheer on their teammates who are still competing.

The plan to boot them out of the village and let them fend for themselves is demeaning and should be changed. That’s the overwhelming view, not only of past Olympians, but also ordinary Australians.

World champion swimmers James Magnussen and Giaan Rooney are leading the call for the spoil sports to fix their blundering mistake.

And plenty of others are now joining the chorus of complaints.

Members of the Australian team during the Closing Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Picture: Dan Mullan/Getty Images

Hockey star Simon Orchard represented the Kookaburras at two Olympics, famously scoring two goals in Australia’s bronze medal win over Britain at London in 2012.

The administrators had completely missed the point about the importance of athletes getting to experience life in the village, he said.

“It reeks of a decision of people who don‘t understand the significance of being in that environment,” he said.

“Not only does having everyone around add to team spirit and camaraderie, but it also provides some memorable and inspiring moments.

“One time, we were walking back through the village in London as the Boomers were coming in off the back end of their campaign. They didn‘t medal, but they were wandering back as we were heading off to a match but the cheers and the raucous yahooing and high fiving and backslapping and that sort of stuff was just.

“I don’t know why anyone would take that away from athletes because it’s a big part of the Olympic experience.

“Because athletes are so focused on achieving and doing what they need to do, they need that time to wind down and let their hair down and come out to the events.

“They provide a huge emotional boost for teams who are still involved.

“It‘s just a poor decision and one that would only take away from the Olympic experience.”

London Olympics 2012 – Hockey – Men's bronze medal match. Australia v Great Britain. The Kookaburra's won the bronze medal defeating Great Britain 3-1. Australia's Simon Orchard.

While the AOC is standing by its decision, saying it has the approval of the Athletes’ Commission, the Australian public isn’t buying it.

In an online News Corp poll asking “Has the AOC made the right decision or does it go too far?”, 88% responses vote “No it’s ridiculous”, while just 12% agreed “Yes it‘s the right call.”

The majority of readers were also strongly against the idea, with Chris commenting” How to motivate your best athletes – lots of stick and NO carrots. Administrators will never get it, they‘ve seldom been at the pointy end of winning!”

Another reader, Vida, wrote: “Absolutely ridiculous AOC. For goodness sake this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for some of these athletes. Not to mention how fantastic it is to see our athletes waving our flag in the stands supporting those Aussies still competing. For goodness sake reverse this ridiculous decision.”

Yet another, Michael, commented: “What a joke. The Olympics is more than just winning medals. It’s the spirit, the camaraderie, meeting fellow Athletes from the world etc etc. I swam and Medalled at the LA Olympics, thank goodness I’m from another happier and less woke era. Maybe I’m a Dinosaur, but I’m tipping many of my former Olympian family would agree.”

Originally published as Paris Olympic Games 2024: Past Olympians and ordinary Australians hit back at AOC’s party ban