{"id":440469,"date":"2020-07-19T17:08:58","date_gmt":"2020-07-20T00:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=440469"},"modified":"2020-07-19T17:08:58","modified_gmt":"2020-07-20T00:08:58","slug":"usopc-ceo-sarah-hirshland-to-1980-olympic-team-you-deserved-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/usopc-ceo-sarah-hirshland-to-1980-olympic-team-you-deserved-better\/","title":{"rendered":"USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland to 1980 Olympic Team: \u2018You Deserved Better\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sarah Hirshland<\/strong>, the CEO of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), released a letter on Twitter that she had sent to members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, apologizing for the effect the Olympic boycott had on them.<\/p>\n

Hirshland\u2019s letter marks the 40-year anniversary of those Games<\/a>. It will be accompanied by highlighting the 1980 Olympic team on online and social media channels this week<\/a> and a permanent tribute in the new U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s abundantly clear in hindsight that the decision not to send a team to Moscow had no impact on the global politics of the era and instead only harmed you \u2013 American athletes who had dedicated themselves to excellence and the chance to represent the United States.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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No athlete should ever have to miss out on the Olympics or Paralympics for political reasons. My letter to the 1980 Olympians: pic.twitter.com\/rTd6rbr7Jv<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Sarah Hirshland (@USOPC_CEO) July 19, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n