Dale Begg-Smith: Traitor or Hero?

One thing's for certain: Australia will leave the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver with at least one medal.

Another thing is for certain: Dale Begg-Smith is not going to defend his title in men's moguls.

The Vancouver internet entrepreneur was outraced on the hills at Cypress Mountain by Alexandre Bilodeau of Montreal, 26.75 to 26.58. The USA's Bryon Wilson finished with 26.08 to earn the bronze in what has been an underachieving finals for the USA.

With a gold and a silver in his collection, Begg-Smith needs a bronze in Sochi to complete the collection. But for those Canadians who feel that Begg-Smith was, and still is, a traitor for competing on the Australian Olympic Team, he had his reasons.

As many should know, Begg-Smith is an Internet entrepreneur that owns a number of online advertising companies. This is a wealthy Olympian that does a little hot-dogging on the side. He would have made it a one-two finish for Canada...if the Olympic team would allow him to take care of his business while competing under the Maple Leaf. Never mind that the red and white would have added one more gold to their total in Turin, leaving aerial artist Alisa Camplin as the only medalist from Oz in 2006.

It's a bit unfortunate, really. Here is this Vancouver native, labeled as a traitor by his own country and embraced as a hero by his adopted country, when in actuality, it didn't need to be this way.

I mean, you would think that Begg-Smith would have been a lights-out star on the moguls for Canada. I would have wondered why the Canadian Olympic Committee just let the "Spam Man" do his own thing. It wouldn't hurt.

It's a shame that bureaucracy and all that red tape has prevented an accomplished star in Dale Begg-Smith for skiing as a member of the Canadian Olympic team.

On the other hand, Canada's loss can be seen Australia's gain for another reason. Begg-Smith becomes Australia's first-ever silver medalist at an Olympic Winter Games. So while Canada gets its first gold medal at the hands of a "traitor," Australia makes its own history on Cypress Mountain.

People need to keep in mind that while Australia has mountains and snow (there are resorts in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australia Capital Territory), it shines best at the Summer Games. If this is the start of a tradition for Australia to medal at a Winter Games on a consistent basis, they have a certain ad guru from Vancouver to thank.

But I want to know what you think. Is Dale Begg-Smith a traitor? Or is he a hero?

Post your thoughts and vote on this topic. As always, keep it clean.

Some notable comments on this:

"Not sure he is "embraced as a hero" in Australia. As much as the tabloid media here try to paint him as a good Aussie boy, most sports fans down here know this is very much a marriage of convenience. No questioning his skiing ability, but he's a far cry from an Aussie hero as he appears to have close to zero interest in the country."

-The Eggman

"As an Australian Canadian (I have duel citizenship) I feel uniquely qualified to speak to this. Dale did what he felt he had to do. I respect that and don't think he's a traitor...neccessarily. But I also fully empathize with those that do see him as a traitor. He has not only gone to Australia to be able to compete but he seems to have fully abandonned Canada; he refuses interviews with Canadian media. He did not look happy at all tonight on the podium...what a poor sportsman. Fair enough to be disappointed at not achieving his goal of gold. But did we see that behavior from Jennifer Heil yesterday? A traitor? No. An admiral ambassador for Australia on the world stage?.....No!?

-Aussie Kanuk

"I don't think he is either. He is just a man that wants to ski and work on his internet business. Canada wouldn't allow him but Australia would so it worked out for both."

-Maire Ofeire

"I'm pretty sure his old man is an Aussie, so he didn't exactly run away, he just returned to his spiritual home. In his defence, he didn't show much motion when he won in Turin - he looked like his dog had just died. The Aussie media, particularly the local broadcast rights holder, are doing a bit of a beat up but, to his credit, Begg-Smith is refusing to buy in. Maybe he really is just misunderstood."

-Craig Christopher

"I don't see him as a hero or a traiter. I do however, feel a bit sorry for him. He made a decision to "become Australian" at 15 and I'm not sure, at that age, he fully comprehended what that decision meant. He didn't leave Canada because he didn't like the country. He left because he thought it would allow him to both pursue his business and to have more attention training for his sport with a smaller team.

However, I would imagine when he won the gold for Australia, it was a bit of a hollow victory. I mean, he's not really Australian at heart. It was documented that he showed little emotion during that gold medal win either.

He also had no way of knowing his hometown would eventually host the Olympics. It's not like he could change his mind again in terms of what country he would represent in Vancouver. Now, he again stands on the podium, in front of his hometown and family, representing a different country, with people thinking of him as a traitor. I would think it's a bit of a hollow silver medal victory. On top of that, he stands next to a fellow Canadian who is now celebrated by the entire country and probably wishes he could share in that joy as well.

As a 15 year old kid, he made decisions that were rash and selfish and now he's living with the consequences of that decision. On one hand, Australia doesn't fully embrace him, despite this gold medal. On the other hand, his home country doesn't really like him much. I'd say, despite his successes, it must be quite a lonely existence."

-Ken W

"First and foremost, he is a fantastic sportsman, just because he doesn’t prance around like a gazelle on heat doesn’t mean he is not elated or satisfied with his performances. He simply has taken the advice of Kipling who described “both triumph and disaster as imposters”.
Furthermore, it should be noted that Begg-Smith with his brother have been living in Australia since he was 15 and from the brief encounters I have had with him post-bumps competitions in Australia you will not meet a more down to earth and humble human being.
Thank-you Canada for being so arrogant as to shun a brilliant sportsman and providing Australian freestyle skiing with a trailblazer and admirable leader for years to come. Maybe the other Canadians reading this article should follow in Begg-Smith's footsteps and read some Kipling before making uneducated and outlandish comments."

-Tim Fennelly

"

Then is Hargreaves (Man U -English National Team) a traitor? How many people were born in other countries that won medals for Canada?
I think he is not traitor, but a bit of an arrogant twit when he came here. It is not the people of the Canada that pushed the Bureaucratic Snowboard team on him and that he should treat us like we disowned him. So many people have been born and played in another country and most countries accept the victory as a victory for them also, because they were a part of our family, but Dale's visible disdain for Canada (although reportedly still live here for a good portion of the time). Just because one may not dislike an organization, a government, or its policies, they should group the whole nation of people as the enemy. Dale should have spoke to the press and said some nice things like it is nice to Vancouver again and despite it is no longer his home, he had some pleasant memories of the city. Majority of Canadians can sympathize with his reasons (although I hate Spam).

But Canadians also have a problem. Hargreaves who plays for Man U and England was cut as a junior by the Canadian National Junior Football(Soccer) team. He went on to play in Germany and eventually made the English National Team. Some Canadians called him a traitor. Why? Because the Canadian National Team could not recognize his talent, but English team could?

Canadians should have cheered for Dale, because he preformed excellently and he is amazing athlete. He should not have been forced to give up his business to be able to stay with the National team. Dale should have acknowledged that he has spent 15 years in Vancouver and it is a part of what made him what he is. His issues is with the bureaucrats, not the people.

Two wrongs do not make it right."

-Paul Holmes