Canadian Olympic athletes decline flag bearer role

A number of Canada's star athletes have refused to carry the country's flag at the opening ceremonies for the Turin Winter Olympics, saying they prefer to focus on their performance instead of taking on extra work.

Cross-country skier Beckie Scott, speed skaters Clara Hughes and Cindy Klassen and bobsledder Pierre Lueders have asked their associations not to nominate them for the revered role, the Toronto Star reported Wednesday.

The Star also reports the freestyle ski team chose not to nominate moguls skiing champion Jennifer Heil for the job because she is scheduled to compete the day after the ceremony.

In 1998, moguls skier Jean-Luc Brassard blamed his poor performance on the fact that he carried the flag in the opening ceremonies at the Nagano Olympics the day before competing.

Scott, an Olympic champion, is scheduled to defend her gold medal in the 15 km pursuit event two days after the ceremony. Her coach told reporters the skier does not want to put an ounce of energy where it isn't "productive."

Klassen and Hughes both have 3,000m races the same day as Scott, and are both considered medal favourites, said Speed Skating Canada.

Lueders, who is also a strong medal contender, simply asked not to be nominated, Bobsleigh Canada's Shane Pearsall told reporters.

"I hope Canadians understand this is about performance," freestyle skiing association CEO Peter Judge told the Toronto Star."It's about carrying the Canadian flag on a bigger playing field and not just the symbolic carrying of the flag in the opening ceremony."

The Canadian Olympic Committee will meet Jan. 26 to discuss the options for Canada's representative at the event.

Italian-born Canadian Thomas Grandi, who won World Cup ski circuit events twice this year, has been suggested, even though he was not nominated by Alpine Canada. He is not scheduled to race until Feb. 20, 10 days after the opening festivities.

Alpine Canada officials said they would allow his selection for the job if the Olympic Committee felt he was the best choice.

But, they said, even though his race does not immediately follow the ceremony, he may have to train on a mountain that is a day's drive from Turin, eating up precious time.

Grandi said he would accept the honour, but added there are other athletes on the team who deserve it more than he does, including speed skater Jeremy Wotherspoon, who won Olympic silver in 1998 and holds the world record for men's World Cup Speed Skating wins with 57.

Source: Xinhua