Medals Plaza

[Brekkie Boy]

One thing I never quite understood is why the Winter Olympics award their medals at a Medals Plaza, rather than at the venues as in the summer Olympics - and frankly the fact they have a "flower ceremony" at the venue makes a whole farce of the situation - what's the point in having a medal ceremony without the medals?

On the other hand though they're a great way of taking the games into the heart of the city and providing a free showcase for people who didn't make it to the venues. IMO they're definately designed with the people in the host city in mind, rather than the TV audience - as having them all within one hour or so whilst live events are still continuing mean they often get overlooked in the main Olympic broadcasts.

However, that said my opinion kind of changed slightly on them during the Vancouver games and I wonder if they'd be an idea for the Summer Games for awarding the medals in the smaller sports at least. Obviously things like Athletics and Swimming should still be done in the venues IMO, but the likes of Archery, Triathlon, Road races (walking/cycling), Fencing etc. - and the events which don't get much exposure, whether a central medals plaza would be an idea for them?

And have medal plazas always been a part of the Winter games, or are they a relatively new thing?

[OneTimeOnly]

This is one thing I really hate about the Winter Games. Totally stupid, totally anti-climactic. The medalists should be awarded their medals at the venue at the conclusion of competition, as in the Summer Games. Only Figure Skating and Ice Hockey get their Medals at the venue and the 50k X-Country Men's get theirs at the closing ceremony, like the Men's Marathon in Summer.

ABSOLUTELY NO STUPID IDIOTIC SEPARATE MEDALS PLAZA CRAP AT THE SUMMER GAMES PLEASE.

[baron-pierreIV]

One thing I never quite understood is why the Winter Olympics award their medals at a Medals Plaza, rather than at the venues as in the summer Olympics - and frankly the fact they have a "flower ceremony" at the venue makes a whole farce of the situation - what's the point in having a medal ceremony without the medals?

On the other hand though they're a great way of taking the games into the heart of the city and providing a free showcase for people who didn't make it to the venues. IMO they're definately designed with the people in the host city in mind, rather than the TV audience - as having them all within one hour or so whilst live events are still continuing mean they often get overlooked in the main Olympic broadcasts.

However, that said my opinion kind of changed slightly on them during the Vancouver games and I wonder if they'd be an idea for the Summer Games for awarding the medals in the smaller sports at least. Obviously things like Athletics and Swimming should still be done in the venues IMO, but the likes of Archery, Triathlon, Road races (walking/cycling), Fencing etc. - and the events which don't get much exposure, whether a central medals plaza would be an idea for them?

And have medal plazas always been a part of the Winter games, or are they a relatively new thing?

The federations control the awarding of the medals. All the mountain events have a grander setting in a medals plaza and also, people (both athletes, staffers, spectators) have been out in the elements for too long a time. Putting the awards in th evening in its own venue gives those sectors a break; a medals evening allows the Org Committee to have a little more income if they charge; and also ensures the validity of the results with the few hours between the end of the races and awarding the medals enough time for the athletes to have gone thru their drug/urine tests and have these initially vetted.

It may not happen in the summer because the summers have like 25 venues going (well, 2 more starting in 2016). So adding another venue just for awards is an additional burden on the Organizing committee--not to mention the logistics of moving the winners from wherever that venue is to the medals place, etc.,etc. Just another headache that the OC does not need.

I believe this Winter-only practice started in Lake Placid 1980.

[Brekkie Boy]

Thanks for the information - most appreciated.

[4seasonscentre]

PROS

- people who missed the event have time to be informed of the winners and attend or watch the ceremony on tv

- the atmosphere is more formal and comfortable for spectators

- need less flag inventory

- cute video montages

- as mentioned, as disputed results can be ironed out prior to the awarding of medals

- easier management of medals

CONS

- the moment of victory is over by then

- need more podiums (both flower and medal)

- the people in attendance are actually interested in the sport and witnessed the victory

- the athlete has to be transported to the plaza and can't sleep/train that night (Catriona missed hers in SLC)

- family/fans of athletes of unexpected victors have to scramble to access the ceremony

- family/fans may have gotten tickets when the athlete in question ended up failing to medal

For me, the Cons outweigh the pros