All athletes deserve opportunity to shine

BUBBA NEWBY came 22nd of 27 in the men’s half-pipe skiing at the Winter Olympics.

Newby (right) represents Ireland because he was born in Cork while his father was working in UCC.

The family moved to the United States when he was an infant and he was raised in Utah.

After completing his event – he failed to qualify for the final – Newby said he was determined to increase the popularity of the sport in Ireland.

‘After my run I had a few kids message me on Instagram. Now that it has happened I don’t want to be the last freestyle skier (to represent Ireland),’ he said.

‘I want to get more people on the team, I want to get more people skiing for Ireland and get more people involved in what I love.’

His enthusiasm is to his credit, but the Winter Olympics are no more than a curiosity to the Irish public because this is not a snowy climate. Our exposure to winter sports doesn’t extend beyond an orange ball being used when it snows during a soccer match.

People have cribbed about money being spent by the Olympic Council on a Winter Olympics team, but if every minority sport was ignored, there would be no summer Olympics teams, either.

Athletes deserve their chance, even in those disciplines that struggle as far as minority status.