Athletes treated "worse than pigs"

Well that was the headline in a local newspaper today with a story repeated in other newspapers across the country. A female German biathlete told a German newspaper that the athletes were treated "worse than pigs going to the slaughterhouse in the post-competition drug checkups."You really get shoved around and force is used . It really ruins your mood".

This must be where they all end up- great pulled pork sandwiches at the restaurant next door.  Apparently later on the head of the German team issued an apology. Now the reality of the situation is that right after competition the medallists (and some others) are required to go to doping control. However before that happens there is a so called "wrangler" whose job it is to get the medal athletes through the mixed zone of press , the flower ceremony, and then off to doping control. Usually after the mixed zone the athlete is notified officially of their selection for doping and they have up to 60 minutes to report while being accompanied by one of our volunteer chaperones. Most of the time they want to get it over with so they proceed to doping control as soon as they can. It can be quite a smozzle with this press,flower ceremony etc process and maybe the athletes do feel like they are being pulled in all directions. The vast majority of the athletes are very gracious and friendly throughout the process , even those who didn't meet their performance expectations but still have to go through the process. Our process is all about the athletes and we always try to be very respectful of them.

Right beside our hotel is a fairly busy train track of trains going north from Vancouver. As I right this a noisy one is now going by. Most of them are freight trains but there are passenger trains as well. One was parked outside the hotel late this morning.
  

I may have mentioned the significant police presence throughout for these games. The officers are from across Canada ( 60 from Ottawa alone ) and are friendly. The intersection of the street of this hotel and Highway 99 is fairly busy and I counted 6 officers there today at noon. One on each corner and 2 others helping to direct traffic. I feel like a kid with a school crossing guard.

 

One of the officers said it can be quite hectic with lots of wild foreign drivers. One of them was hit by a bus the other day. 

Today I spent the afternoon and evening in what turned out to be my last shift at the Whistler Olympic Village. Our command centre called me while I was there to tell me I have Wednesday off . We did some blood screens this afternoon and nothing this evening. Happy to have the day off rather than sitting there not doing anything real. I am including again a picture of the dinner menu for Tuesday evenings dinner . My family will appreciate why when they see the dessert listing.
Deen would be more interested in the pasta entry.

Now we'll see what tomorrow brings........