The Debate - Olympic Athletes and Partying

In your opinion, is it alright for Olympic athletes to publicly party in London after they are done competing?


Seth Breeden
I’m cool with it...so long as they medaled in their event! You can’t be all partying it up in London if you didn’t win, right?

...Just kidding. I think it is one hundred and fifty percent acceptable for Olympians to publicly party in London after competing regardless of winning a medal or not. Representing your country and competing in the Olympics is a great honor and an unbelievable opportunity for athletes. Who are we (the general public) to scold them for partying and celebrating after their events?

To my knowledge, there hasn’t been any arrests of athletes in London for partying, drunkenness, drinking and driving, or anything of the sort. Sure, some Olympians might be partying their asses off and going a little crazy, but it’s not like they’re doing anything wrong. They approached the olympic games professionally, they put forth their best efforts in the games...they deserve to enjoy themselves and their accomplishments after putting in so many hours training, practicing, and competing. If there were a bunch of stories of Olympians being arrested and causing problems wherever they went to get their drink on, then I might have a different opinion. Until then, live it up Olympians! Go team USA!


Kevin Rossi
To be honest, I didn’t even think that this was a big issue until I read a few different stories (like this one from the Telegraph).  I think it is a bit egregious to attack Olympic athletes for blowing off some steam after they are done competing at the Games.  Let’s look at it this way... After a big project at work (which takes what, a week or three?) you go to the bar with a couple of buddies.  Now let’s take that one week and multiply it by 52 for the weeks in a year and then multiply that by 4-8 for the number of years of training.  Yea that number right there, that’s how much harder an Olympic athletes works compared to your project.  Give them a break.  They have been at the top of their game, the top of their sports’ world for 4-8 years and you are going to criticize them for going out on a quick (controlled) bender?  In the voice of Seth Meyers, “Really!?”  Let’s all just take one big giant leap back and stop taking life so damn seriously.  We would all work ourselves into the ground if we didn’t get a chance to blow off some steam every once in a while.  When you are an OIympic athlete that has the opportunity to win a medal that your entire country will recognize, then you can consider opening your mouth.  I’ve tried to look at this from every angle, not just automatically assuming the view of a college student.  I don’t see it.  The only thing I can see is that people find athletes to be automatic role models, but personally I find that to be complete bunk, and if you still believe that, then you probably still believe that Ryan Lochte is better than Michael Phelps, Mr. Bates killed his wife in Downton Abbey, and Bane was a better villain than the Joker.  Please let the athletes do their thing just as you would do yours.  They are human too ya know!


Drew Rosen
I have a hard time getting angry over Olympians partying in London after their events for one reason, the media. I understand that they may be “partying” in public, but we would not know about it if the media didn't follow them around. There is no doubt that the athletes are aware they are being watched. Does this mean they should pretend to not like partying? I do not think so. People like to have a good time and athletes are included. I could understand peoples viewpoint of the role model theory, except I believe Olympians do not fall in this category. Most Olympians are the best at what they do in a specific country. Yes they choose to compete and be put in the spotlight, but this does not mean they signed up for the world to watch them party. I see professional athletes in the United States differently, I believe they choose to have a job that puts them in the spotlight and are fair game to judge. In the Olympics, athletes are representing a country and should not be judged on what they choose to do after they compete. I would be annoyed seeing Olympic athletes partying before an event, but I do not care what they do after. They trained so hard for years to prepare for the Olympics, let them have a good time.