Freestyle Skier Hanssen criticizes Dutch selection policy

"The important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part. Just as in life, the aim is not to conquer but to struggle well."

The sentiment expressed by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, is one shared by Dutch freestyle skier Isabelle Hanssen, but not necessarily by her country's National Olympic Committee (NOC).

For the third Winter Olympics in a row, 11 times Dutch champion Hanssen has met the international qualification criteria for the Games but she will once again be staying at home after failing to meet the Netherlands' national requirements.

"It's like an emotional rollercoaster, from getting a hope then having this hope crushed," Hanssen told DW, after seeing an appeal against the Dutch Ski Association (NSV) thrown out by a judge.

Since debuting on the International Ski Federation (FIS) Freestyle Ski World Cup circuit in 2012, the halfpipe skier has achieved 14 top-20 finishes across 22 events, including two in three competitions this season. She is currently ranked 14th in the world standings, but that wasn't enough for the Dutch selectors.

Hanssen is particularly frustrated that pandemic-related exceptions were made for two other Dutch athletes in similar situations, including alpine skier Maarten Meiners, but not for her.

"The exceptions were made this year because of COVID-19, as many athletes were affected by the pandemic, so we couldn't have as many competitions as we usually do," she says. "But I found it strange that they didn't give an exception to me, especially that I was more affected by COVID than they were."

NSV: 'We have to be realistic'

But NSV general manager Fritz Avis explained to DW that the decisions were made based purely on performance and medal chances.

"I agree that Isabelle was affected by COVID like the others … but we chose the other two athletes according to their numbers on the table and their chances of reaching the finals. We treated the three of them equally. Nothing personal towards Isabelle, but she didn't match the national limits, and according to her numbers, she is not even close to competing in the finals."

In a post on LinkedIn, Hanssen admitted: "I am not the best halfpipe skier, and I am not medal potential, but I earned and deserve my Olympic spot." But she would like to see the NSV put more faith – and money – into halfpipe skiing and other smaller sports, in the belief that medals will follow.

"They can't expect a medal if they don't even invest in it," she tells DW, adding: "Nothing will change until those in charge of the Dutch Ski Association retire and new, younger people with more connection to the industry take their place. The people in power now are narrow-minded, only focused on medals and sports that they like."

But Avis insists that, while the Netherlands invests around two million euros per year into its 20 elite sports programs, the budget is tight.

"We have many other athletes who we don't support, not because we don't want to, but because we don't have the money for all disciplines," he explains. "I want to help athletes to live their Olympic dreams but we have to be realistic; halfpipe skiing is a very small sport."

'Against the Olympic spirit'

As a geographically flat nation with no mountains, the Netherlands has strict national qualification criteria when it comes to the Winter Olympics.

In 2018, 33 Dutch athletes competed in Pyeongchang in 2018, 30 in speed skating – winning eight gold medals and finishing fifth in the medal table. This year, the team has been increased to 41 with three new sports: figure skating, bobsleigh, and alpine skiing – but not halfpipe skiing.

"Our goal at the NSV is to finish in the top ten," states Avis, a goal shared by the NOC and the Dutch government, but not necessarily by Hanssen, who believes the Olympics are about more than just winning.

"Focusing on sports with medal potential leaves many sports in the dark," she laments, having launched a crowdfunder to recoup some of her legal costs from her failed appeal. "This is against the Olympic spirit, which is about bringing athletes, sports and cultures together."

Pierre de Coubertin may have agreed – even if the Dutch selectors don't.

Edited by: Matt Ford