Rulon Gardner/
Dear Friends,
I wanted to take this opportunity to publicly state that I did not back out of a planned speaking engagement next month in protest of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s decision to end my health insurance and grant money. I was never scheduled to appear at the Athlete Summit for Olympic Hopefuls June 9-12 in Beaver Creek, CO. I had been approached to appear at this event, but had to decline due to two wrestling camps I will be attending at that time”the Baker Wrestling Camp in Baker, MT and the travel related to the Dana College Wrestling Camp in Blair, NE. I have been booked for the Baker Camp since 2004, and was booked for the Dana College Camp in early January 2005. I was approached less than a month ago about the Athlete Summit, and due to these previous contractual commitments, I obviously could not attend.
Today, as always, I strongly support the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Wrestling. I appreciate that the USOC and USA Wrestling are the reason I won Gold in Sydney, and the reason I was able to come back from a near death experience and amputation to win Bronze in Athens. Because of the tremendous support I have received from both the USOC and USA Wrestling, I have been able to reach my goals and dreams, both as an athlete and in life. I will continue to support both organizations whenever possible. In fact, I hereby announce that I will donate a portion of the proceeds from an EBay auction of the Asics wrestling shoes I left on the mat in Athens, to support USA Wrestling athletes. My hope is that this gesture helps USA Wrestling to support future wrestlers as they supported me, and demonstrates my commitment to the athletes and organization.
Furthermore, I am not mad or disenchanted with the USOC, I simply disagree with the current policy by which insurance coverage and funding is provided to athletes after retirement. I believe the USOC and the National Governing Bodies for each sport should reexamine this policy, and change it for the benefit of future athletes. My opinions are not rooted in anger, they are rooted in a desire to support the USOC and the NGBs and lobby to make athlete rights paramount. The beauty of democracy is my right to not only have opinions, but to speak them in a public forum, and hopefully generate discussion which will ultimately lead to change. I will continue to speak tirelessly on the subject of athlete’s rights because before my time, people fought for long shots like me, and I owe the same to future athletes.
Thank you,
Rulon Gardner
Olympic Gold and Bronze Medalist, Greco-Roman Wrestling
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