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A scandal in women’s figure skating at the 2022 Olympics has raised questions about the current state of the competitive sport. After a young Russian skating star was found to have used banned performance-enhancing drugs, she was still allowed to skate but stumbled repeatedly during her routine under the pressure of strong public criticism. Some say the young athletes who excel at the sport are ill equipped to handle its pressures. They want the judging system to change so that older athletes are rewarded for their skills, and coaches are held more accountable. Listen to a former figure skater reflect on the recent games and then debate: Should Olympic figure skating rules be changed?
Story Length: 4:55
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August 2, 2021
3:53
World-renowned gymnast Simone Biles has withdrawn from competing in high profile events at the Tokyo Olympics due to stress. Biles is one of several elite athletes who have recently spoken out about the pressure they feel during competition and how it impacts their mental health. Listen to hear more about Biles’ decision and learn what the Olympic Committee is doing to support the mental health of the Tokyo Games athletes.
Read MoreFebruary 19, 2018
3:52
One of the biggest names from Team USA at the Winter Olympics is Maame Biney. She is only 18 and has explosive speed on the ice. She came to the United States from Ghana when she was 5 years old and became the first African-American woman ever to qualify for a U.S. Olympic speed skating team on the short track speed skating. Her father is with her in South Korea, where she is competing against the best speed skaters in the world. Listen to this story to hear Biney describe herself on the ice.
Read MoreFebruary 8, 2018
3:35
In North Korea, most citizens are not allowed to leave the country. However, for the Winter Olympics hosted in South Korea, the North Korean regime is permitting athletes to compete. North and South Korea will be united under one flag, and a pair of figure skaters from North Korea has qualified for the games. The International Olympic Committee gave them quota places, a rarely-used form of wild card, to allow them to compete since they missed the registration deadline. Many people are looking forward to a cultural exchange and interaction between North and South Korea. Listen to learn more about these North Korean figure skaters who will compete in the Olympics.
Read MoreOctober 23, 2015
2:40
How much stress we experience growing up can affect our health later in life. This was discovered during a study which assessed the emotional health, diet and habits of hundreds of people from childhood through adulthood. They analyzed the relationship between stress and disease and found people who had persistent stress were at the highest risk for disease. But surprisingly, people who had periods of high stress when they were between the ages of 7 and 16 showed a high risk for chronic illness, even if they were not stressed as adults. Listen to this story and start a debate in your class about whether stress is helpful or harmful to students.
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