Hurdler-turned-Bobsledder Lolo Jones Criticized for Her Complaining
Fitzgerald Cecilio
Lake Placid, NY
Olympic bobsledding gold medalist Steven Holcomb criticized hurdler-turned-bobsledder Lolo Jones after she posted a video complaining about the $741.84 check she received from the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation.
"It wasn't taken very well taken. People were really kind of insulted. You just made $741, more than most athletes in the sport. So what are you complaining about?" Holcomb said after a weightlifting session at US Olympic Training Center.
"She slapped pretty much every athlete in the U.S. federation in the face. That was the general consensus," Holcomb added.
Last year, Holcomb won four gold medals in World Cup races and a bronze at the world championships and his check was just under $3,000, aside from $2,000 monthly stipend.
"She's brand new to the sport and only been doing it for a few months and she's upset because she got $741? I've been doing it for 16 years and I didn't get a whole lot more," Holcomb said.
Holcomb made the statement after a video of Jones came out, complaining about her paycheck.
Jones was seen in the video saying: "Seven months with bobsled season. The whole season. That's it."
Then, she was seen talking on the phone to a mock landlord, saying "I'm going to be a little late on my rent this month." Then the camera focuses on her paycheck.
In a statement released through one of her sponsors Red Bull, Jones defended her move, saying she just wanted to help her bobsled teammates.
"Some of them have debt because they've given their life to the sport. My partner Jazmine and I had to raise money for the bobsled to be funded just to finish the season, because only 2 of the 3 sleds are funded by the team," she said.
"The vine of the paycheck is just showing the difference between track and bobsled, and to be honest bobsledders work more hours than track!" she added.
Jones expects that her move will make people appreciate just how hard Olympians work, "often just for the love of the sport".
However, not all bobsledders were against Jones' move. Bobsledder Elana Meyers tweeted her thanks to Jones for bringing "the issues to light. Bobsledders aren't high paid pro athletes like you see on TV".
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