Although the event began on Friday, February 4th, there has been much attention due to the popularity of the event and drama happening this year.

     The Winter Olympics lasts until the 20th of February, and consists of figure skating, snowboarding, bobsledding, monobob, (a sport debuting this year which is a women’s only version of solo bobsledding), Alpine Skiing, (downhill skiing) Nordic Combined, curling, freestyle skiing, hockey, ski jumping, skeleton, luge, biathlon, cross-country skiing, and speed skating (long and short track). 

     One may be unaware of some of the sports listed.  According to NBC New York, luge is a singles or doubles sport where the athlete(s) lies on their back on a flat sled and travels down an ice track specifically designed for the sport.  Skeleton is slower and has a thinner board than luge and requires the rider to lay on the stomach, head first.  

     Nordic Combined has a ski jumping competition and a cross country competition of 10 kilometers (6.21371 miles).  The highest scoring jumper will be able to start the 10 kilometer portion first, while the others are ranked based on their total of ski jumps.  However, it has historically been a men’s only sport, and the decision to include women was supposed start this year.  According to USA Today, that decision was rejected by the International Olympics Committee (IOC).  However, that may be changed for the 2026 Olympics (it will be determined by the IOC in the summer).  

     Biathlon can be described as a combination of a shooting range and skiing.  As said by wncn.com, the skiers use the “specially-designed rifles that shoot .22-caliber rounds and weigh just under 8 pounds. They hold the rifles with them as they ski and are required to shoot while standing or laying in a prone position for most races.  Prone position is just laying on one’s stomach.  

     Alpine Skiing happens from February 4th to the 19th.  The biathlon has competitions on February 5th to February 19th.  Bobsledding is on the 13th to the 20th.  Cross-country skiing happens on the 6th, the 8th, the 10th, the 11th, the 12th, the 13th, the 16th, the 19th, and the 20th. Curling has a competition every day of the Olympics.  Figure skating is on the 4th, the 6th, the 7th, the 8th, the 10th, the 12th, and the 14th to the 19th of February.  Freestyle skiing is going on from February 4th to the 19th.  Hockey is happening everyday during the Olympics.  The Luge competitions are on the 7th to the 10th.  Monobob is from February 10th to February 14th.  Nordic combined is happening from February 9th to the 17th.  Skeleton is only two days, the 10th and the 12th.  Ski jumping is happening on February 4th to 7th and February 8th to 14th.  Lastly, speed skating is from the 5th to the 16th.  

     To set the scene, the Chinese government had sent Muslim imams and other religious figures to “camps” in Xinjiang; the area of northwestern China that has a huge Muslim population.  Although these persecutions are nothing new, the Uyghur Human Rights Project has shed light on about 1,000 cases of detainment and/or sending the Uyghurs to “reeducation camps”.  As said by bbc.com, these statistics are heavily under reported, due China’s strong holding of information.  The panel also said it had found evidence of crimes against humanity, torture, and sexual violence against the Uyghur people.  

     This news caused an uproar for the American people so much so that Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi warned the American athletes at a hearing for the Congressional-Executive Commission on China that, “you’re there to compete. Do not risk incurring the anger of the Chinese government because they are ruthless… “I know there is a temptation on the part of some to speak out while they are there. I respect that, but I also worry about what the Chinese government might do to their reputations, to their families.  So, again, participate, let us celebrate from abroad, and don’t risk thinking that there are any good intentions on the part of the People’s Republic of China’s government because there are none,”.  Her claim was backed up by Yang Shu, the deputy director-general of international relations for the Beijing Organizing Committee, stating that any behavior in line with the “Olympic spirit” will be left alone.  However, for the contrary situation, “Any behavior or speech that is against the Olympic spirit, especially against the Chinese laws and regulations, are also subject to certain punishment”.  

     At one point there was an American protest on the Olympics entirely, due to the conditions of the Ugyhars.  However, that didn’t have much effect.  On the bright side, China’s choice of torchbearer for the Olympic ceremony.  The intention of that choice is unknown, but a U.S Ambassador said it, “was an attempt to “distract” from the human rights abuses against the Turkic Muslim minority group”.  As said by Business Insider, the torchbearer was Dinigeer Yilamujiang, a cross-country skier.

     Another controversy arises as Kamila Valieva, the 15 year old figure skater tests positive for “banned heart drug trimetazidine”.  Which, according to ESPN, has stimulant properties (increasing blood flow to the heart and endurance)and can be used to cure angina (a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart).  It is unknown if she uses this for medical issues.  This finding can easily result in her disqualification and the loss of Russia’s potential streak of three Olympic gold medals.   The decision for her to compete was not approved by the International Olympic Committee and Paralympic Committee, and as said by YahooSports, was approved by the Court of Arbitration for Sports, who usually settles legal decisions in sports.  However, when she took to the ice Kamilia ended up in fourth place due to her two falls during her routine.   This resulting in a hidden breakdown from Kamilia, but it wasn’t unnoticed by her coach who concerned herself with Kamilia’s loss.  Meanwhile, Olympic chief, Thomas Bach took note of this and describes the Russian athlete’s coach’s and entourage’s attitudes as having, “what appeared to be a tremendous coldness, it was chilling to see this.”

     On the 20th, the awards ceremony commenced with the following results; all data (listing team name and number of gold, silver, and bronze metals) from the official Olympics website.  As said by National World, Russia and its athletes are performing under the name Russian Olympic Committee due to Russia’s “ongoing ban from international sports due to state-sponsored doping”.

     Now that the era that is the Winter Olympics is over, everyone will begin for the Summer Olympics.  Although if one didn’t catch the scoring, the individual sports upshots are available to browse here.