Technically speaking - when do you officially become "an Olympian"?

We should maybe use different words such as:

Pre-Olympian = scheduled to compete at the Olympics

Olympian = currently competing

Post-Olympian = has competed

angry willy wrote:

Is Joe Sixpack a millionaire before he cashes the PowerBall check?

My thoughts say until Joe presents the signed check for payment he is not a millionaire. Absent having a million going in of course.

Olympian=competed in the OGs.

The alternate that does not travel (4th on the depth chart so to speak) is not

The relay member who does not compete but traveled with the team (at team expense) is an intriguing question.. Honestly I think I would refer to them as a Olympic team member that did not compete but would not have a problem if the athlete or someone else used Olympian with out a modifying clause.

False start & DNF = Olympian

Did Not Start in the first round but on the official event declaration = Olympic team member who did not compete. Again I\'d use a modifying clause but on this I\'d be likely to raise the modifier issue if they or others use the straight up Olympian designation.

Those that were killed or did not get to their events because of the 1972 attack get the title Olympian with no questions raised.

There is a fraternal organization for US Olympians that might have a definition..

Big PR wrote:

This isn't a big deal, and just a technicality, but I was actually wondering a few times when watching post-race interviews.

In your opinion, when are you officially an "Olympian"?

Is it 1.) after qualifying; or 2.) after actually participating in the Olympic Games?

As an example, if a qualifier didn't participate in London for whatever reason (injury, boycott, etc...), are they still an Olympian?

(please don't be clever and say yes for Meb, Abdi, Ryan, etc.. just since they already participated in prior Games).

Olympian Joan Hansen points me to

,

I know several people who qualified for the 1980 team which didn't go and not one of them claims to be an Olympian. In fact, they all will tell you they were robbed of exactly that.

Wrong. An Olympian is "a competitor in the Olympic Games."For example, Craig Virgin is a two time Olympian, three time US Olympic team member.

Franklin wrote:

Once you have met the standards to join your country's Olympic team then have become an Olympian. You are now on an Olympic team. The 1980 Moscow qualifiers are Olympians, despite the fact they didn't compete.

Just like people who have been accepted into NASA's astronaut program are officially "astronauts," regardless of whether they have flown into orbit or not.

Thank you for allowing me to clear this up for you.

One possibility is when an athlete arrives in the host city and receives their credentials.

Then there is the whole other category for the Olympic Nerds...like me who officiate at the Olympics.....this is our form of being an Olympian :)

wineturtle wrote:

Those that were killed or did not get to their events because of the 1972 attack get the title Olympian with no questions raised.

What about those that did not get to their event because they had the wrong starting time?

When you qualify for the Olympics AND confirm your enrollment into the Olympics (you have to do that)

Qualifying is qualifying, but once you sign saying you plan to compete in the Olympics and you are accepted, you are an Olympian, no matter if you get hurt before hand or not

Hart and Robinson ran the trial heats -- they are Olympians. Also a sad side story from the '72 Games which themselves became the side story to the Munich Massacre .

After some conversation with a small sample of Olympians I'll go with

If the USOC calls them Olympians --.they are.

The boycott team is entitled to the honorific-- Olympian.

I have not had time to check the criteria the USOC uses.

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