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SALT LAKE CITY — These Olympic Games have been touted as the "Social Media Games" because the athletes have access to sites like Facebook and Twitter. But some coaches say these sites can prove to be a big distraction to some athletes.
In some ways, coaches think social media is great. It gives people instant access to their favorite athletes. Fans can learn about their favorite sports without waiting for reporters to tell them about it. But the athletes need to be very careful about the things they post.
University of Utah Women's Gymnastics Head Coach Greg Marsden said, "There's always the chance that they post something that's inappropriate or taken the wrong way." Marsden says the U has devoted more time to teaching its student athletes about what they should or shouldn't say online.
"For the last several years, we've put quite a bit of time in the early part of the season in talking with our athletes about the whole social media thing and the type of problems that they can get themselves into," he said. Marsden says they show examples of questionable posts that got students in other schools in trouble.
Our NCAA Compliance Office requires that all student athletes 'friend' them (on Facebook) so they monitor the kinds of things that are being posted.
–Greg Marsden
But, their main concern is pictures. The school wants to make sure the players don't post what could be considered inappropriate pictures of themselves or their friends. They also tell the students never to let themselves be in a position where someone else could take a questionable picture and post it online.
"Our NCAA Compliance Office requires that all of the student athletes ‘friend' them (on Facebook) so they monitor the kinds of things that are being posted," he said.
Plus, another problem may arise. There are times when other people say very unflattering or insulting things about the athletes. Marsden says they counsel their students to not let those negative posts get them down.
"If you're aware of something that's out there, talk to them about it. Sit down and talk to them about it. Don't just expect them that they're going to be OK with it," he said.
Two athletes have been kicked out of the Olympic Games because of things they posted. Greek track star Voula Papachristau was kicked off the team for posting insulting comments about Africans, while Michel Morganella was booted from the Swiss Men's Soccer Team for saying South Koreans "can go burn" after a loss.
