The early Olympics were very different from what we know today with surprising and interesting moments along the way. Skiing was, of course one of the staples, the original events in the Olympics. Even when they were called the Nordic Games, a separate entity from the Olympics. To be more specific, the men’s skiing had always had a place. Just like many of the sports, events, and policies that did not “recognize” women, skiing was no different, the Olympic committee did nothing when it came to support in the downhill skiing event. That didn’t stop amazing women from competing and making a splash. One woman that stood out was an American woman Clarita Health who had learned just a year prior with her mother on a ski trip. Clarita turned out to be such a natural that she was good enough to participate on the women’s team.
Also, the Olympics are not impervious to circumstances that would cause them to be cancelled. Interestingly enough, the games were cancelled due to nothing short of a world war. In 1940 , the games were to be held in Sapporo, Japan, but due to the invasion of China by the Japanese the decision was retracted. The invasion of Poland also hindered the games going forward, as well as forcing the cancellation of the games that were going to be held in Italy.
The Winter Games were not even part of the original games in ancient Greece, and was not part of the regular program or recognized by the International Olympic Committee. The Nordic Games was the original event and the integrity was to be preserved by the organizers until 1916. Interestingly enough, the games were not to go as planned. Speed skating, ice hockey, Nordic and figure skiing were to not be celebrated in the traditional competitor fashion, and why? World War I had erupted and, like others before, the games were cancelled due to the war.
More recently, in the winter games right after September 11, 2001, held in 2002, a scandal broke out among the judging in the figure skating competitions. The French judge was persuaded to vote for the Russian team, no matter the caliber of their skating. This if course was brought to light and instead of the original one medal, two gold medals were awarded for the same event, the Russian and French team the beneficiaries.
Lord, Mortund (December 2001). “The First Four Olympics”. Skiing Heritage Journal (International Skiing History Association):21. Retrieved 2014-01-29