The enormous pressure on elite athletes to maintain a lean figure could ultimately change the demographics of who can compete at the Olympics.
That’s according to New York Times sports reporter Karen Crouse, who broke the news that figure skater Adam Rippon succumbed to an eating disorder to maintain his body shape.
“The more it is about appearance, you’re going to get kids in the sport that are younger and younger. You have teenagers whose metabolism is still pretty high and they don’t have these weight issues,” she told Cheddar. “Maybe we are going to see in the future far fewer elite skaters that are 28 years old like Adam.”
Rippon, who won a bronze medal in this year’s Games, revealed to Crouse that he subsisted for a time on a daily diet of three slices of bread with a dab of “I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter” and a couple cups of coffee.
He thought the longer, thinner frame would be more aesthetically pleasing to the judges. But a broken foot last year changed his mind.
“He actually thinks that one of the reasons he suffered this injury was that he wasn’t getting enough calcium and other nutrients, and that made his bones brittle,” Crouse said. “He’s now eating much better and actually is ten pounds heavier than he was two years ago when he won that national title. And if you look at him, he has an enviable body.”
Since his injury, Rippon has been workin with a nutritionist with the United States Olympic Committee who’s helped him develop healthier eating habits.
Jacoby pulled off a stunning upset in the 100-meter breaststroke, beating defending champion Lilly King. Jacoby already was the first swimmer from Alaska to make the U.S. Olympic team. Now, she's got a gold.
The Russian Olympic Committee has won the gold medal in women’s gymnastics after U.S. star Simone Biles exited with a medical issue.
Vaccine Mandates, Osaka Out & LeVar Burton Takes Jeopardy!
After a year of delays, the Tokyo Olympics is finally here.
But the growth in streaming is expected to lower broadcast viewership numbers. Still, advertisers and sponsors haven't pulled out of the popular live sporting event.
U.S. pop singer Pink has offered to pay a fine given to the Norwegian female beach handball team for wearing shorts instead of the required bikini bottoms.
The German women’s gymnastics team took the floor for their first competition at the Tokyo Olympics wearing unitards with leggings that stretched down to the ankle. That defied the custom of high-cut bikini bottoms in the sport.
Team USA's Uneven Start, Optimism Plummets & 'Old' Stuns Box Office
Despite the protests and concerns over safety during COVID-19, advertisers haven't stopped backing the Games.
The flame at Tokyo’s National Stadium and another cauldron burning along the waterfront near Tokyo Bay throughout the games will be sustained in part by hydrogen, the first time the clean fuel source will be used to power an Olympic fire.
Known as the Indians since 1915, Cleveland’s Major League Baseball team will be called Guardians.
