It would be trolling except it was obvious from just watching on TV how ungracious the Russian audience was to non-Russian skaters and how much they seemed to want the non-Russians to fall.
Anyway, I wonder if there is a cultural explanation.
I've heard that they chanted even in gala.. what a bunch of douches.
I know the Russian skaters were skating on home ice and, obviously, Russians want their skaters to succeed. However, by the Ladies free skate, it became really obvious to me that the crowd had gone beyond supporting the Russian skaters and started revealing themselves to be tacky and graceless, especially in light of the fact that they got pretty much everything they wanted despite the fact that the results were dubious in both the ladies and ice dance events. I love how they didn't bother to clap or pay attention during Ashley Wagner's free skate because they only cared to see if Adelina would win the gold medal (of course she would). I also noticed that when Yu-na was waving and bowing to the audience after her free skate that almost none of the Russians were clapping. Only the foreigners bothered to show some respect and applaud. It was also really bad manners to start chanting "Ru-sy-a!" while Yu-na was graciously waiting for her scores in the kiss and cry area. Everyone should have already known the judges handed the gold to Adelina. At least show some respect to the skater whose scores haven't even come up yet.
Sigh. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else noticed this. What do you guys think? Look, I know the support will obviously be slanted in favor of the home team. But the level of fairness and tact displayed by the audience was soooo different in Vancouver and most of the other host Olympic cities.
Time this hate thread was closed (obviously deliberately designed to invite equally unsavory comments) and you two were banned. Your posts throughout the last few days have been extremely offensive and prejudiced. I'm British and at the London Olympics a couple of years ago (which I attended), the British crowds were just as patriotic and partisan. All home crowds are, and rightfully so. People are entitled to be patriotic and to cheer on their own competitors. The Russian crowds were no different to any other.
Did you watch the Gala exhibition tonight?
The Russian crowd was shouting 'RO-SSSSI-AAA' even during the other skaters' gala performances, not the competition.
Russia should not hold any major sports events ever again until the Earth destroys. The audience were the worst ever. :scowl:
I also noticed that when Yu-na was waving and bowing to the audience after her free skate that almost none of the Russians were clapping. Only the foreigners bothered to show some respect and applaud. It was also really bad manners to start chanting "Ru-sy-a!" while Yu-na was graciously waiting for her scores in the kiss and cry area.
But the level of fairness and tact displayed by the audience was soooo different in Vancouver and most of the other host Olympic cities.
It's North Americans who claim to be hospitable and open, but in reality are rather ignorant and indifferent.
hmm. criticising one specific audience for specific incidents of seemingly-rude behaviour vs. making sweeping generalisations about an entire two countries' worth of people.
It's hard to tell by only watching television, but my impression of the audience is very, very positive. I was in Vancouver in 2010 and I think the crowd was much more indifferent to the guest athletes and other non-Canadian fans than the Russians are to non-Russians. Russia is a very open culture where hospitality and natural curiosity to others is part of their very soul. It's North Americans who claim to be hospitable and open, but in reality are rather ignorant and indifferent.
If you look for hostility and disrespect I heard that the soccer World Cup in Korea was by far the worst. So just wait for four more years and we will see....
Did you watch the Gala exhibition tonight?
The Russian crowd was shouting 'RO-SSSSI-AAA' even during the other skaters' gala performances, not the competition.
Russia should not hold any major sports events ever again until the Earth destroys. The audience were the worst ever. :scowl:
Do you speak/understand Russian?
I read in another post that the crowd was yelling, "Cпасибо!" -- which means THANK YOU! :yay:
Do you speak/understand Russian?
I read in another post that the crowd was yelling, "Cпасибо!" -- which means THANK YOU! :yay:
I speak Russian and longlivethequeen is correct: they were yelling “Russia”, even during Gala!
Really embarrassing during the whole Olympics.
You missed it. They shouted "Spasibo!" which means "Thank you" in English.
I speak Russian and longlivethequeen is correct: they were yelling “Russia”, even during Gala!
Really embarrassing during the whole Olympics.