Games' opening ceremony impressed Hawai'i athlete
Half of Chris Duplanty's life has revolved around the Olympics. Until this month in Salt Lake City, the Punahou School graduate's Olympic uniform usually consisted of a swimsuit and sweats.
The man who was the Atlanta Games' most dominant goalie also holds a master's in business administration and a passion for the Olympic ideal that burns as intensely as the Olympic torch that was extinguished yesterday. That triumvirate has kept his Olympic flame burning.
Chris Duplanty
Duplanty, a water polo player in three Olympic Games and coach in another, wore a suit and tie — beneath his parka — to these Winter Games. He attended as a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee's Executive Committee.
In that capacity, he actually saw an opening ceremony for the first time, can confirm that snowboarders say the darndest things and was part of the chilling silence that greeted the entry of the World Trade Center flag.
Here, in Duplanty's words, is his Winter Games experience.
I attended the Opening Session of the International Olympic Committee meetings. The highlight for me that night was when the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Utah Symphony performed the national anthem. It was an unbelievable performance.
In all my years representing our country in international competition, I have heard the national anthem many times. However, this seemed special. Given what our country has been through and the times that we find ourselves in ... it was one of those moments when we all stop thinking about whatever may be on our mind at the moment and reflect upon the fact that we are all a part of something bigger; that we are connected to each other in one way or another.
An incredible moment
Sitting in the stands and watching an opening ceremony was great, although for a boy from Hawai'i, I think I had a few more layers of clothes on to deal with the cold weather. Not too many people in aloha shirts and slippahs.
Chris Duplanty
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Honolulu/1984 Punahou
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USOC Executive Committee member
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Vice chairman i USOC Athletes' Advisory Council
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Three-time Olympian and captain of 1996 U.S. water polo team
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U.S. women's water polo assistant coach at 2000 Olympics
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1993 U.S. Water Polo Male Athlete of the Year
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Bachelor's degree in economics (1989) and MBA (1992) from UC-Irvine
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Appeared in 1994 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and modeled Looney Tunes/U.S. Olympic Team Licensed Merchandise in Warner Brothers Studio Store catalog
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Engaged to marry Holly Heil, May 18, 2002
In all of the other Games that I took part in, I never actually saw an opening ceremony. When you compete as an athlete or coach, you sit in a staging area and only come out into the stadium for the parade of athletes.
At the start of the ceremony, eight U.S. athletes carried into the stadium the flag from the Trade Center. I have never experienced the kind of silence that came over the entire stadium. And when you consider that this was not just a stadium filled with people from the United States, but rather, filled with people from around the world, it was an incredible moment. As the national anthem played, I could hear people crying as the stadium sang along with the music.
True Olympians
I was at the skating venue during the finals of the pairs competition and was stunned, along with everyone else, with the judges' decisions. Now I realize that I do not know much about the details of figure skating. In fact, that was the first time I had seen the competition live (it was a choice that my fiancée, Holly, had picked out for us). However, here are a couple of thoughts:
I think that it is a shame, not only in the apparent questionable action of the judges, but more importantly, that all the attention is focused on the judges and not the athletes.
It takes a lifetime for an athlete to prepare for their moment in time. This was their moment, to be shared with the world. The Olympic Games, as with all sporting events, should be a celebration of athletes, their performances and all of the ideals that they represent.
For the judges to take the spotlight from them, on and off the ice, is just awful. I can't help but feel for the athletes.
Wasn't it amazing to watch how the Canadian pair handled the situation. They had every reason to be angry, upset and no one would criticize them if they really told the world how they were treated. Instead, they handled themselves with honor and integrity.
At the end of the day, it is the athletes who personify the Olympic ideals. Sure, I was impressed with what these two athletes did on the ice during their performance, but I am in awe of what they have shown me off the ice. They are Olympians in the purest form.
Returning Games to athletes
Advertiser library photo • Sept. 18, 2000
In reflecting on the actions of the judges, I am reminded of part of the opening ceremonies. There are two oaths given at the start of the Games, one by athletes and one by judges. Both of these oaths reflect a commitment to fairness and the Olympic ideals.
Chris Duplanty, a U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo assistant coach at the 2000 Summer Olympics, helped support U.S. Winter Olympic athletes from behind the scenes in Salt Lake City.
On the athletes' side, doping is clearly the biggest threat to this oath and the Games today. However, with WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) taking over the implementation of drug-testing, serious steps are being taken to address the situation.
It is now time for steps to be taken to address the judging and officiating, particularly in sports that have a subjective element to their competition. Obviously, figure skating is on the forefront, but it is also important in other sports, such as boxing. I still remember my first Olympic Games in Seoul, 1988, when Roy Jones Jr. lost to a South Korean boxer after soundly defeating him in the gold-medal bout. It was later confirmed that one of the referees took monetary bribes to ensure that the Korean boxer won the gold.
Steps must be taken to protect the integrity of the Games and give the Games back to the athletes and the Olympic ideals.
Young enough for '06
After the U.S. snowboarders swept their event and the athletes got their medals at the Olympic Medals Plaza, they came by the USA House (a building set up by the United States Olympic Committee for family and friends). The guys walked in to a roar, showed their medals, took pictures. It was awesome.
I couldn't believe how young these guys were and I think that they were just starting to figure out what a tremendous achievement this was for them and the country. Anyway, I was standing with Sandy Baldwin, the president of the USOC. When she realized how young they were, she said to them that they were young enough that they could compete in the next Olympics in 2006. One of the guys asked where the Games would be. Sandy told him Italy.
His answer: "Cool. Lasagna."
Classic answer.
Volunteers' selflessness
In Salt Lake, I really began to notice how important volunteers are to the Games. I was amazed at the selflessness of these thousands of people. The Games would not be possible without these wonderful people. To me, they also demonstrate the Olympic ideals and serve as an example for all of us to recognize in our daily lives — to give of ourselves for others.
Security tight, as usual
Close to 2,500 winter athletes competed in Salt Lake. Compare that with the 12,000 summer athletes in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
As a result, it is not surprising that the Summer Games have a way of taking a larger stage. However, there is something to be said for the Winter Games being a bit more "personal" with it's smaller numbers.
In terms of security, it all seemed pretty similar to the other Games I have been to. One of the things I have learned over the years with security at the Games is that for all the security you see, there is a whole lot you do not see. I am certain that in Salt Lake, everything was done that could be done.
Medal goal surpassed
One of my main roles within the USOC is allocating resources and money to athletes and coaches. Leading up to Salt Lake, the USOC set aside $18 million for winter sports. This project was called PODIUM (Putting Olympic Dreams Into U.S. Medals).
The concept was to take a venture capital model of investment in order to maximize the medal performance of U.S. athletes in Salt Lake. Prior to the start of these Games, the USOC set a target of 20 medals. Originally that received criticism because the United States had never won more than 13 medals in any previous Winter Olympic Games.
Now, Salt Lake has become the most successful Winter Olympics for the United States in history. I do not think anyone ever imagined this level of success for the U.S. It has been quite satisfying to have been able to support our athletes and our performances from behind the scenes.
