As an American and a sports lover, I used to be excited ever time the Olympics rolled around. I couldn’t wait to see the stories and fantastic finishes at the events.

My first memory of the Olympics is watching the 1980 USA hockey team take down Russia in the semi-finials. One of the most iconic moments in United States Olympic history.

I remember seeing, but not really understanding (I was 5), why my dad was so excited. I fell in love with sports at that moment, and I have always been excited about the Olympic games.

When the 2020 Olympics rolled around, it was the first time I could remember social media and politics getting involved in my love for the games. My family and I would sit down and watch them together every night, but 2020 is where we began losing interest.

All if the hate that people had for certain athletes, the way some were treated by the international communities, the way the keyboard warriors passed faceless judgement on athletes that trained for this moment their whole lives, was just too much for me.

I went from enjoying the games to watching the games to turning the television off and finding something else to do.

There has always been controversy at the Olympic games, but social media meant that anyone could start or comment on it.  Faceless, nameless people believe they have the right to say or day whatever they want to, and maybe they do. It doesn’t mean I have to watch or listen though.

My family and I did not watch the 2020 games after Simone BIles dropped out and the media/social media storm around that event. So much hate and finger pointing went on and I didn’t want to expose myself or my family to it, so we just didn’t watch.

The winter games in 2022 was a similar thing, we never really got involved in watching the games then either. An event I used to carve out time just to watch was no long of as much interest to me.

While I still find myself listening to sports radio keeping up with what is happening, I am no longer someone who takes time to watch the Olympics. The 2024 Opening Ceremonies was enough reason for me to believe my decision is confirmed a good one.

I saw enough on social media to be glad I didn’t take time away from life to watch it. My family has also completely lost interest in the games.

I was raised to be nice to everyone, and to find the good in what I can. Social media is there to gin up controversy and make people mad, and there is enough in real life to be mad about without letting some nameless, faceless troll add to my anger.

I am sad that these trolls have taken away my enjoyment of something that I have fond memories of as a child and and adult, but just like everything in life, there comes a time when you have to make a decision.

Is this still for me? Am I the target demographic? Watching the way the games have gone and the way the public consume them and talk about them, I have decided that maybe they are not for me anymore.

It could be that I lost the passion that I had that night in 1980 when Al Michaels asked if I believe in miracles. I hope that if you enjoy them, you can continue enjoying them. I, for one, am out on the Olympics.