Olympics Notebook: Vancouver 2010

Olympic ice hockey final, closing ceremony — live

We’re at rinkside in Vancouver to bring you live coverage of the Winter Olympics ice hockey final between Canada and the United States. And join us later for the closing ceremony of these Games.

Winter Games, day 14 — live

The men’s ice hockey semi-finals pitting the United States against Finland and Canada against Slovakia are the highlights of the day … but with the mayhem of short track speed skating and the women’s curling final there’s plenty of other action to shout about… Join us here today and every day of the Games.

Olympics Hockey Super Sunday — live

We’re running a live blog on the mouth-watering line up of hockey on Sunday, featuring Russia v Czech Republic in Group B, Canada v United States in Group A and Sweden v Finland in Group C.

We’ll be talking hockey all day so please feel free to dip in. The fun starts Sunday. Early.

Lindsey takes first gold — the Vonn-couver Olympics begin

Lindsey Vonn shrugged off the most famous shin-jury in sport to produce a fantastic victory in the women’s downhill Alpine skiing at the Winter Games on Wednesday, marking the start of what may well be the Vonn-couver Olympics.

Vonn, the hugely popular American and one of the most famous faces at these Games, blew away her nearest rivals, which is astonishing given that she arrived worried that her bruised shin might be so bad that it would stop her competing altogether. If she is so dominant when having to ski through gritted teeth, how* good would she look here fully fit?

Now we will hear lots of talk about a possible five-medal haul. Can she do it?

PHOTO: Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. reacts after competing in the women’s Alpine Skiing Downhill race at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia February 17, 2010. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

* changed from “who” … thanks to Db8r for spotting the typo.

“Support Our Troops” slogan falls foul of Olympic rules

Trouble is brewing over United States ice hockey goalie Jonathan Quick and the “Support Our Troops” slogan on his helmet. Slogans of this sort are banned under Olympic rules and Quick will be told to remove it, the International Ice Hockey Federation has told Reuters.

Ryan Miller has also been told to remove the slogan “Miller Time” from his helmet while the third American netminder Tim Thomas had already placed a sticker over a slogan on his mask for the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

IOC rules forbid political propoganda or advertisements being placed on equipment. “If the players don’t agree with the interpretation they can ask the USOC (United States Olympic Committee) to petition the IOC.”

Miller said he had agreed to remove “Miller Time”, which is also a popular beer company slogan, but might fight to keep “Matt Man”, a tribute to a dead friend from being taken off his helmet.

What do you think? Should athletes be allowed to carry personal or political messages on their clothing or equipment at the Olympic Games? Or is the IOC right to keep such messages out of the Games?

Comments welcome…