UFC Champ Ronda Rousey Speaks Out for Better Treatment of Olympic Athletes
As a former Olympian who used to train in nearby Wakefield, UFC champion Ronda Rousey has a unique perspective on Boston’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.
While the reigning women’s bantamweight champ would love to see the Olympics return to U.S. soil, she also has her criticisms of the games.
“Oh yeah, I think it would be awesome to have the Olympics here. My criticism of the Olympics really comes from the treatment of the athletes,’’ Rousey told Boston.com during a media conference call Wednesday. “I think that all Olympians should be able to have college scholarships available to them, and they should have some sort of job placement for them after they’re done.’’
Before she took over the world of mixed martial arts, Rousey trained judo with the famed Jimmy Pedro at his facility in Wakefield. “Rowdy’’ became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in the sport, earning a bronze medal at the 2008 Games in Beijing.
Despite her groundbreaking accomplishment, Rousey has expressed discontent over the way she was treated following her departure.
Rousey spoke at length about the issue in a 2012 interview with Jeff Sherwood of The Sherdog Radio Network.
“Everyone talks about how awesome the Olympics are, but you know what? After the Olympics they give you 10 grand and a handshake,’’ Rousey said. “It costs way more than 10 grand to get there. The Olympics didn’t give a damn about me after I was done.’’
She went on to point out how Olympians receive minimal financial support, all while the International Olympic Committee takes in hundreds of millions of dollars from corporate sponsors.
According to Business Insider, the leading advertisers for the 2012 Games in London paid the IOC $932 million for worldwide marketing rights.
“That money goes into a lot of really corrupt national governing bodies that bounce that money around,’’ Rousey told Sherwood. “They give it to all their friends, and almost none of that money makes it to the athletes.’’
The UFC champ, who is set to defend her title at UFC 184 against Cat Zingano later this month, can be outspoken at times about the Olympics, however, she still believes in the heart and soul of the games.
“I love the Olympics, I love the idealism behind it,’’ Rousey told Boston.com. “But I think they need to spend more time thinking about the welfare of their athletes instead of making the corporate sponsors happy.’’
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