In London, Broadbent & Elks report that more than half of the Ukraine Olympic team has "gone home in protest after the anti-Government riots in Kiev." Ukraine Olympic Committee President SERGEY BUBKA said that he "respected the decision of those leaving, but said he felt the best way to show solidarity was by staying in Sochi." Most of those who have left early "have already competed, but BOGDANA MATSOTSKA, the Alpine skier, and her father and coach, OLEG, have joined the exodus" (LONDON TIMES, 2/20). IOC Dir of Communications MARK ADAMS said that the IOC "respects every athlete’s decision to do what is best for them," but did not say which athletes were leaving (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/20).
TAX REFUND? In Illinois, Zachary White reports state Sen. JULIE MORRISON is "sponsoring legislation that would exempt Olympians from paying Illinois taxes on their awards." Olympians who "win gold medals are awarded $25,000, athletes who win silver earn $15,000 and athletes who earn bronze receive $10,000," amounts which are "currently taxed by both federal and state governments." Morrison's legislation would "exempt Olympians from paying taxes on their awards and from paying taxes on the value of the medals they receive." Illinois has "exempted Olympians from paying taxes on their awards in the past." U.S. Rep. BLAKE FARENTHOLD (R-Texas) has similarly been "looking to exempt Olympians from paying taxes on their awards" (Illinois DAILY HERALD, 2/20).
DOUBLE AGENT: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Bachman & Sonne note Russian snowboarder VIC WILD yesterday won a Gold Medal and "basked in the roars of his countrymen." However, Wild is "American, born and raised." Wild said, "Russia's the country that's given me the opportunity to win a medal. If I was still riding for the USSA, I'd be back home maybe with some mediocre job, doing something mediocre. It's not what I wanted to be. ... I'm so stoked to win it for Russia." Wild and his wife, ALENA ZAVARZINA, got married in July '11 to "speed the processing of Wild's Russian citizenship." Wild acknowledged that they "probably wouldn't have gotten married 'so fast' had his joining the Russian team not been a possibility" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/20).
