Women ski jumpers want into Olympics

Now 24, the Utah resident stands third in the world among women ski jumpers. But Van and other world-class competitors -- including Karin Friberg of Roseville -- were denied a chance to jump in the 2010 Olympics when the International Olympic Committee voted to keep them out. That led them to channel their considerable chutzpah into something even more nerve-wracking than their sport: taking on Olympic officials in court.

With the Vancouver Winter Games set to begin one year from today, Van and nine other women ski jumpers from six countries have filed suit against Vancouver's Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) alleging gender discrimination. The group argues that the Olympic ski-jumping venues were built with Canadian federal and provincial funds, and many VANOC officials are government appointees. They say that would make the Olympics subject to Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which prohibits discrimination.

The suit will be heard April 20 by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. It's uncertain when a decision might be made, or how VANOC and the IOC would respond if the women prevail.

No matter what happens, Van, Friberg and their teammates plan to keep flying as they seek greater recognition of their sport.

"I want this to be fixed," said Van, who holds the record -- for men and women -- on the 90-meter ski jump that will be used at the Olympics. "Our sport is ready for this. I don't worry about what the IOC or any other governing body says or does to me because [of the lawsuit]. I'm willing to put my neck and my career on the line for what I believe."

Friberg, who finished a career-best 19th in a Continental Cup event last week in Poland, is just as determined. "A lot of people have waited their entire lives for this,'' she said. "Our sport keeps growing and getting more competitive. We want this so much."

Still new on the scene

Men's ski jumping has been in the Winter Olympics since they began in 1924. Women have jumped for decades, but it took years for them to gain elite international status. They compete on the Continental Cup circuit, and the International Ski Federation will oversee its first women's world championship later this month.

Friberg began downhill skiing as a child and has jumped for the past eight years. Encouraged by her grandfather and other relatives who enjoyed the sport, she has trained and competed as a member of the St. Paul Ski Club and is now the top female competitor in the region. This winter, she moved to Park City, Utah, to train with Van and other elite U.S. women.

A freshman at the University of Minnesota, Friberg, 19, is continuing her studies online while competing. "There are at least 10 to 15 girls in the Twin Cities who are jumping," she said. "We're always trying to recruit new athletes, and we're seeing a lot of developing skiers who have the potential to do very well for the U.S.

"Ski jumping is my passion, and it is for a lot of other women, too. That's why we're working so hard to get it into the Olympics."

Advocates for women jumpers have worked for Olympic inclusion since 1998. The IOC last voted it down in 2006, saying that too few women from too few countries compete and their skill level is not high enough. IOC president Jacques Rogge said that adding women's ski jumping would "dilute and water down" the medals given at the Olympics.

'Blatant discrimination'

Deedee Corradini, president of Women's Ski Jumping USA, disputes those contentions point by point. There now are 159 women from 19 countries registered as active international competitors, and the Continental Cup includes 17 events in eight nations. The U.S. Ski Team, which began funding women ski jumpers in 2005, includes seven women and no men on its 2009 ski jumping roster.

There is precedent for bypassing the IOC rule that says a sport must conduct two world championships before it gains Olympic inclusion. And even though the International Ski Federation voted 114-1 to recommend the IOC include women's ski jumping in the 2010 Games, the IOC said no -- but it did approve skicross, which has fewer competitors and is a newer sport.

Corradini was the mayor of Salt Lake City as it prepared to host the 2002 Winter Olympics. She worked successfully to get women's bobsled and skeleton into those Games, and she has committed herself the past several years to crossing this next Winter Games gender hurdle.

"A few years ago, these women were paying their expenses by doing a hot dog and hamburger fundraiser with their parents' help," Corradini said. "The boys were staying in hotels in Europe when they competed, and the girls slept one time in a leaky barn with no heat. They are so dedicated, and they are phenomenal athletes.

"[The Olympic exclusion] is blatant discrimination. We're trying to right a wrong. It took a huge amount of courage for the women to join the lawsuit, and they are making history."

VANOC has had little comment on the lawsuit, except to say that the IOC made the decision to keep women out, and VANOC is bound by that. The IOC also has declined comment, though its charter expressly prohibits discrimination.

Canadian attorney Ross Clark took the case pro bono. Corradini said the women have had wide support from the North American media and public; more than 9,500 people have signed a petition urging that women be allowed to jump in the 2010 Games.

"I don't want younger girls coming up the pipeline to deal with these obstacles," said Van, who isn't certain how much longer she will compete. "I want them to have the opportunities I haven't had."