Small fish in a big pond, New Zealand athletes struggle for funding even in major sports. let alone the minor ones like Taekwondo.
This lack of funding hasn’t hindered Kiwi Olympic Games hopeful and martial arts exponent Logan Campbell.
Logan is getting the company he owns to fund his bid for Olympic glory in London.
There is one problem with his enterprise and initiative.
The business he owns happens to be a brothel and the New Zealand Olympic Committee has written to the athlete and business-owner stating:
"Based on the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, we would place your actions as totally inconsistent with these values,"
"Your open solicitation of 'clients' for your 'business' while using the Olympic or Olympian connection must cease immediately, or the NZOC will be forced to consider taking legal action against you."
For the benefit of those of you reading this blog outside New Zealand – prostitution of this nature is perfectly legitimate.
So what exactly are these so-called ‘Olympic Values’ the N.Z Olympic Committee wishes to up-hold on behalf of its overseas big-brother?
There is little doubt the I.O.C were behind the bully tactics employed here.
The rampant drug-cheating by athletes?
Bribes and back-handers to committee members to pick their venue to stage the event?
Ironically one of the widely published inducements for voting a given-way, being the services of a high-priced prostitute.
Are these ‘values’ alluded to in the legalese - judges block-marking in sports like boxing and gymnastics?
What exactly has Logan Campbell done wrong?
The logical conclusion one can make from this is athletes who have availed themselves of a prostitute are automatically ineligible for games selection, so this could signal the beginning of a crack-down.
Yet, The Olympic Games should be about athletic excellence – moral judgments, race, religions should play no part in who wins or who comes last.
The guy who wins gold at London in Taekwondo could be a sexual-deviant with a string of failed relationships, collapsed businesses, Nazi party member and an all-round bastard of the highest order – so what?
Who has the right to stop any athlete winning let alone competing just because they don’t like an aspect of their background?
