The Olympics

I don’t really pay attention to the Olympics. Never really have. But I have noted a trend on social media which follows this sort of template:

Female Olympic athlete: does a thing
Every rando on the internet: “um, actually, you did it wrong”
Anyone with brains: “you realise you’re talking about an expert in their field and you don’t know shit?”

Some examples:
Vitalina Batsarashkina: shoots a .22 air pistol one-handed with a hand in her pocket
Every Murican on the internet: “she’s going to break her wrist, you need to use two hands” or “she’s going to miss because there’s this thing called recoil”
Anyone who knows who it is: “you realise that’s the gold medalist? and that it’s an air pistol with zero recoil? and that the rules require only one hand to be used?”

Simone Biles: withdraws rather than break herself
Every rando on the internet: “you’re a disgrace”
Anyone who knows better: “better a silver medal than breaking herself”

Naomi Osaka: dares to be Japanese
Every rando on the internet: “you’re not really Japanese”
Anyone else: “wtf?”

And that’s just what I’ve noticed while not paying attention to the Olympics. Some of these conversations are really important because it’s highlighting that athletes are people who deserve to make their own decisions rather than being forced to compete when their health (mental or physical) is at risk. Others just highlight how people will take any opportunity to criticise someone doing something they could never do.