Sound Off: Women's Ski Jumping Left Out of Olympics

I never thought that in this day and age I wouldn't be allowed to follow my dream, simply because I am a girl. I am a female ski jumper, on the provincial team, which means I get to do what many people only dream of - I get to fly. I work hard and sometimes it gets really tough, but ski jumping has taught me how to never give up.

It's every athlete's dream to compete in the Olympics one day. Unfortunately, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is discriminating against female ski jumpers by preventing us from competing in the Olympics!

The IOC has no factual basis to justify the gender discrimination, and in a 2002 ABC interview with Jacques Rogge, the president of the IOC, his only explanation was that the sport, "doesn't have enough athletes and not enough countries compete."

The truth is, we have 135 women in 16 countries competing internationally in the Continental Cups, according to the Women's Ski Jumping USA website. This could be compared to bobsledding, which only has 26 women from 13 nations competing internationally. By denying us the right of going to the Olympics, we do not receive funding from the federal government, which makes it hard for athletes to continue ski jumping as a career.

While the boys on my team are preparing for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, we girls are left on the sidelines. There are three girls on the Women's National Team, and three girls on the Provincial Team, myself included. Currently there is an international group of female ski jumpers (including 17-year-old Calgary-native Zoya Lynch who recently retired from the Canadian National Team), filing a lawsuit against VANOC (Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee), which is raising the profile and awareness of the issue. However, the decision lies with the IOC, not VANOC, as to whether or not women's ski jumping will be a part of the 2010 Olympic Games.

This is our second attempt to force the inclusion of women's ski jumping. Last year, Canadian jumpers filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission and there was a settlement that the federal government would attempt to lobby the IOC to include the sport. The government supports our cause, but nothing has changed.

Imagine if the IOC decided they wouldn't let anyone who has dark skin participate in the Olympics? It would be completely ridiculous, terrible and unfair. How is it any different from what the IOC is doing to female ski jumpers? This shouldn't even be an issue in 2009.

Ski jumping is an incredible sport and it's hard for me to comprehend why we can't compete in the Olympics. Women are being discriminated against and we shouldn't be denied a fundamental right.

Canadians pride themselves on having the right and freedom to do what they want; I want to go to the Olympics. What more is it going to take?