United States teams have heard plenty of boos so far these Olympics, but mostly the sort reserved for any powerhouse playing an underdog.
What hasn’t surfaced, US athletes and officials say, is any of the politically tinged anti-Americanism that was feared in the run-up to the Games.
The bigger the American star power, it seems, the louder the razzing. Targets so far have included the men’s basketball team, women’s soccer team and Andy Roddick, the world’s number-two tennis player.
Off the field, however, the Americans have raved at their warm reception by the Greeks and athletes of other nations. There have been no anti-American protests and, according to US officials, no worrisome confrontations.
”We’ve seen just the opposite — people in Athens going out of their way to make our team feel comfortable,” said US Olympic Committee spokesperson Darryl Seibel.
”In those situations where the crowd has gotten behind our opponents … it hasn’t been in any way aggressive or hostile.”
Concerns abounded prior to the Games as anti-American demonstrators staged protests in Athens and city workers were forced to erase graffiti denouncing US foreign policy.
In response, US team leaders counselled athletes to keep a low profile during the Games — for example avoiding outfits with US logos when venturing out of official Olympic premises.
Judo competitor Celita Schutz said it was the first time in three Olympics she had received such cautions.
”When I’ve gone downtown, people recognise athletes anyway and they’re curious where you’re from,” she said. ”All my experiences have been positive.”
A handful of US athletes, such as NBA star Ray Allen, cited fears of anti-American violence as a reason for skipping the Olympics. High jumper Matt Hemingway, son of a US soldier who served overseas, questioned such attitudes.
”Anybody who said they didn’t want to come because of security, they just didn’t want to come,” said Hemingway. ”Considering what our soldiers are doing, risking their lives, the least we could do is represent our country at the Olympics.”
He and Schutz said they have mingled easily with other nations’ athletes at the Olympic Village and encountered no political diatribes.
‘Don’t be obnoxious Americans’
In their quest for a low profile, US officials sought to scale down the display of American flags at their village compound and briefed athletes on acting respectfully. The message, said team press aide Doug Haney, was: ”Don’t be the obnoxious American everyone thinks we are.”
Hemingway indicated the athletes were receptive, mindful of the criticism that ensued in Sydney four years ago when bare-chested members of the men’s 400m relay team wrapped themselves in a US flag and clowned on the victory stand.
”We can’t shove it in people’s faces,” Hemingway said.
Crowds root for rivals
On the playing field, Americans have, in several cases, experienced crowds rooting vociferously for their rivals.
At the Greece-US basketball game on Tuesday night, fans waved Greek flags, sang fight songs and taunted the Americans with chants of ”Puerto Rico!” — the team that upset the NBA players two nights earlier.
”That was the loudest arena I’ve ever been in,” said LeBron James after the Americans’ six-point victory over Greece.
The same night, thousands of spectators rooted for Germany’s Tommy Haas to upset Roddick, often making noise as the American prepared to serve.
”Maybe the clap right before I served every time was a little much,” said Roddick after a narrow victory.
Members of the women’s soccer team said the crowd at Saturday’s game with Brazil was one of the most hostile they’d encountered — yet praised their overall reception in Greece.
”We had heard a lot about some anti-American thoughts, but the Greeks have been unbelievably supportive,” said coach April Heinrichs. ”On the field, I think they’re cheering for other teams. But one of the common denominators of all cultures is they cheer for the underdog.”
Midfielder Julie Foudy agreed.
”When you’re out in the streets, in the shops, they love to share their history and culture and they’re so friendly,” she said. ”On the field, we’ve been getting some boos, but that’s to be expected because we’re one of the favourites.”
Conversely, gymnast Guard Young said the crowd pulled for his relatively unheralded American squad as they won their first team medal in 20 years on Monday.
”People love the underdog,” he said. ”That’s a role we took on and used to our advantage.” — Sapa-AP