The 2002 Winter Olympic Games, held in Salt Lake City, during 16 days of glorious weather, drew the attention of a world overdosed on tales of terrorism, tragedy, and war since September 11, 2001.

They provided a much needed respite to the public psyche suffering under an avalanche of bad news about man's inhumanity to man. And for those sixteen days the idealism underlying the spirit of sport was symbolized in the Olympic flame atop the stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies were held.

All hail and all glory to the athletes who participated. They were their countries chosen, the best of the best, in skiing, skating, curling, sledding, snow boarding, and in the biathlon, shooting.

Men, women, veterans of former Games and youth of both sexes participating in their first Olympics, competed with each other. Some won, some lost, and an unfortunate few failed to cross a finishing line. An unforeseen accident, a tumble, a collision, crushed their hopes but not their determination. Individually they merit gratitude for the years of hard work they put into preparing for their events. None but they themselves know what each went through to gain a chance to participate. In adversity they deserve praise, not sympathy.

Unfortunately, the 2002 Olympics were dogged with criticism, initially of the first organizing committee, charged with hornswoggling of Olympian proportions, and then, most regrettably, of the judging and refereeing in two major events, pairs figure skating and women's ice hockey.

A world outcry greeted the result of the judging in the final of the pairs figure skating. The brouhaha lasted almost a week following the announcement of the result, a gold medal for the Russian pair, a silver medal for the Canadian pair. It dominated television in North America and Europe, and generated such outrage that one of the judges was suspended and a second gold medal awarded to the Canadians.

Their names, Jamie Salé and David Pelletier, will enter the record books, but what will remain in the memories of all who watched them during the media blitz to which they were subjected, was their composure, Jamie's grace under pressure, David's good natured humour, in the most trying of circumstances. Wholesome young Canadians, the attractive couple won the respect and affection of television audiences worldwide.

They went to Salt Lake City as athletes, they returned as decorated ambassadors for their sport and for their country, mature beyond their years, and role models for legions of younger athletes who will succeed them in future Olympics.

Canadian Women's Ice Hockey Triumph

The icing on the cake for Canadians "coast to coast to coast", recalling the favourite phrase of one-time oratorical spellbinder, Réal Caouette, came in the last week of the Games.

The final of the women's ice hockey competition was in itself spellbinding. It pitted a Canadian team against an American team, and had been eagerly anticipated for months leading up to the Olympics. The Americans had won eight of successive past encounters. Now they had home advantage, and their fans expected them to win in Salt Lake City.

Against such a handicap, the Canadian women would have to play their hearts out if they were to gain the coveted gold medal.

The game began, and within minutes the Canadians found they faced a further handicap. The referee, an American selected by the governing Olympic hockey authority, gave eight successive penalties against the Canadians. Eight successive penalties in the opening minutes!

And it continued. Right to the end.

The Canadians could easily have been thrown off their game, but thanks to their coach, Daniele Sauvageau, and their own internal fortitude, they refused to buckle.

As the game advanced, and the refereeing continued unabated, "atrocious" as it was described by one member of the Canadian team, booing from many in attendance became audible.

The final score, three goals to two, in favour of Canada, could well have read: Canada 3, USA 1, Referee 1.

To preserve their names in cyber space, the members of the Canadian women's gold medallist team were:

Dana Antal, Kelly Bechard, Jennifer Botterill, Therese Brisson, Cassie Campbell, Isabelle Chartrand, Lori Dupuis, Danielle Goyette, Geraldine Heaney, Jayna Hefford, Becky Kellar, Caroline Ouellete, Cherie Piper, Cheryl Pounder, Tammy Lee Shewchuk, Sami Jo Small, Kim St. Pierre, Colleen Sostorics, Vicky Sunohara, and Hayley Wickenheiser

Assistant coaches were Melody Davidson, Karen Hughes, and Wally Kozak.

Support staff included Gaetan Robitaille (Team Leader), Kimberley Amirault (Medical), Ryan Jankowski, and Robin McDonald (Technical).

A bronze plaque listing their names should be a first priority for the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

Canadian Men's Ice Hockey Triumph

It came down to the closing day of the Winter Olympic Games held at Salt Lake City for the demons, afflicting Canadian men's teams since the country last won a gold medal in Olympic ice hockey, to be exorcised.

Fifty years ago the Edmonton Mercurys, an amateur hockey team sponsored by a local car dealership, brought home gold to Canada from the 1952 Winter Olympics held in Oslo.

Four surviving members of that team made their way to Salt Lake City to wish the modern day Canadian team success in the 2002 final against the USA. They were interviewed on television. They were a remarkable quartet, seniors well into their seventies if not more, all in good physical health, mental faculties sharp as skate blades, splendid examplars for the young and the not so young, as they sat chatting in a television studio.

In sport hockey is Canada. Those who play hockey are Canada. Hockey fans are Canada. From the first tottering steps on ice to the last lacing of boots before finally hanging up their skates, hockey is the one sport that proclaims to the world: "I am Canadian!" The 1952 Mercury survivors were Canada, a Canada whose pride had been humbled for all too long.

Fifty years without a Canadian men's ice hockey gold medal in the Olympics seemed like an eternity spent in purgatory. Tantalizing, a shimmering circle, the medal escaped capture one Olympics after another. Like the snitch pursued by Harry Potter in a game of Quidditch, it remained out of reach until that unforgettable Sunday in Salt Lake City when the USA and Canada were locked in battle, a battle won by the Canadian team at the end of three periods of heart-throbbing contest.

Unlike the women's hockey final, the refereeing played no part or partisanship in favour of either team. It was a game played fairly according to the rules, between two talented teams. There were skills aplenty displayed by both teams, and the outcome was in doubt until near the last whistle.

All Canada rejoiced, from the last outpost in Newfoundland to the furthermost settlement on Vancouver Island, from Windsor in the south to Old Crow in the Arctic.

Canadian troops stationed in far off Khandahar, and at overseas peacekeeping missions elsewhere throughout the world, joined with their families and compatriots at home in waving the Canadian flag in celebration.

In all provinces and territories Canadians, of whatever origin, were united in a national outpouring of joy.

If there was one distinguishing mark between the Canadian heroes of 1952 and those of 2002, it was the division between amateur and professional. All players on both teams in 2002 were richly paid professionals. The purists lament, but that is the way of the world in 2002.

As with their female colleagues, this web site proudly records the names of the Canadian men's hockey gold medallists as follows:

Goalies: Martin Brodeur, Curtis Joseph, Ed Belfour; Defence: Rob Blake, Eric Brewer, Adam Foote, Ed Jovanovski, Al MacInnis, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger; Forwards: Theoren Fleury, Simon Gagne, Jarome Iginla, Paul Kariya, Mario Lemieux, Eric Lindros, Joe Nieuwendyk, Owen Nolan, Mike Peca, Joe Sakic, Brendan Shanahan, Ryan Smyth, Steve Yzerman.

Their coach, Pat Quinn, deserves no less credit than that already extended to Daniele Sauvageau, the Canadian women's team coach. Under pressure he remained calm, and the players responded in kind.

Wayne Gretzky, otherwise known as "The Great One", was the team's manager, and assistant coaches were Jacques Martin, Ken Hitchcock, and Wayne Fleming.

And a Canadian Broadcasting Triumph

To anyone who has followed the successes, trials, and tribulations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation over the years, its televised coverage of the 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City, Utah, is cause for extending the most heartfelt congratulations.

The CBC team of technicians, reporters, commentators, researchers, was outstanding. Co-operation with US television networks allowed for simultaneous coverage of conflicting events, allowing the Canadian broadcasters to focus on Canadian athletes and their accomplishments.

For some athletes, to compete in the Games was, in itself, an accomplishment. The CBC's profiling of their home towns, families, and friends, was inspirational to those who aspire to follow on skates, skis, and sleds in future Olympic Games.

To single out any of the CBC personnel, all of whom performed their jobs well, may seem invidious, but anchors Ron MacLean and Brian Williams were so superb that they deserve the highest accolades their audiences and peers can confer.

Canada itself grew stronger as Canadians watched the CBC.

Thank you, one and all.

Footnote: The CBC also had a very well-designed and highly informative Olympic Games web site.

Irish Links

Again, as on earlier occasions, this web site is happy to record links between Canada and Ireland. Geraldine Heaney and Owen Nolan, both Irish-born, were proud members of the Canadian women's and men's hockey teams.

Hockey helps Belfast overcome troubles

Hockey fans worldwide should pull up http://www.readersdigest.ca/mag/2002/03/giants.html where they will learn how ice hockey in Belfast is fast bridging the giant divide between Prods and Taigs. This article in Reader's Digest Canada gives hope to everyone.