The 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, marked a massive turning point in sports history. These games finally opened the door to professional hockey players and introduced the rebellious sport of snowboarding to the prestigious event. However, the competition was also plagued by bizarre weather, including rain and fog that constantly delayed races. Furthermore, the event produced some of the most touching moments of sportsmanship ever recorded on camera. Prepare to travel back to the snowy peaks of Japan.
1998 Winter Olympics
Snowboarding made its debut at the 1998 Winter Olympics, but it started with a scandal. Officials stripped the first-ever gold medalist, Ross Rebagliati, of his medal after he tested positive for marijuana. He eventually got it back because the drug did not appear on the specific banned list for that sport at the time.
The IOC allowed professional NHL players to compete for the first time. The league took a break so superstars like Wayne Gretzky could play for their countries. Surprisingly, the star-studded Canadian and American teams failed to win gold, which went to the Czech Republic instead.
Bjørn Dæhlie waited at the finish line for the last-place skier. The Norwegian cross-country legend won the race but refused to leave the area until Philip Boit from Kenya finished twenty minutes later. Dæhlie hugged Boit, creating one of the most famous images of sportsmanship in history.
Tara Lipinski became the youngest individual gold medalist in Winter Olympic history. At just fifteen years old, she defeated the favorite Michelle Kwan in figure skating. She remains the youngest female champion in an individual winter event to this day.
Artists partially made the medals of lacquer, not just metal. To showcase local culture, the medals featured Kiso lacquerware, a traditional Japanese craft. This unique design distinguished the 1998 Winter Olympics from previous games.
Sumo wrestlers led the opening ceremony to drive away evil spirits. A massive group of top-ranked wrestlers performed a ritual stomp called “shiko” at the stadium. This traditional move purified the arena before the athletes arrived.
The Japanese ski jumping team won gold in an emotional redemption. Four years earlier in Lillehammer, Masahiko Harada had faltered on his final jump, costing Japan the gold. In Nagano, he nailed a massive jump to help his team secure the victory on home soil.
Curling returned to the 1998 Winter Olympics after a seventy-four-year absence. Although it had been a demonstration sport before, this year marked its official return to the medal program. It has remained a cult favorite among viewers ever since.
“Clap skates” completely revolutionized speed skating records. These new skates had a hinge at the toe that allowed the blade to stay on the ice longer. Consequently, skaters shattered world records in almost every speed skating event during the games.
Women’s ice hockey debuted at these games. The United States team won the inaugural gold medal by defeating their arch-rivals, Canada. This victory inspired a generation of young girls to pick up hockey sticks.
The mascots were four owls named the “Snowlets.” Their names were Sukki, Nokki, Lekki, and Tsukki, and they represented the four years of an Olympiad. They replaced the original mascot idea, which was a weasel.
Hermann Maier survived one of the worst crashes in skiing history. The Austrian skier flew off the downhill course at highway speeds and crashed through two safety fences. Despite the horrific fall, he recovered to win two gold medals later that week.
Seiji Ozawa conducted a global chorus for the opening ceremony. The famous conductor led choirs from five different continents who sang “Ode to Joy” simultaneously via satellite. This technical feat symbolized global unity through technology.
Bad weather threatened the schedule of the 1998 Winter Olympics. Heavy snow, thick fog, and even rain forced officials to reschedule alpine skiing events multiple times. At one point, organizers feared they would not be able to finish the downhill competitions before the closing ceremony.
Finally, chaos erupted in the Olympic Village due to a condom shortage. Organizers originally provided 20,000 prophylactics for the athletes, but the supply ran out days before the games ended. They had to rush-order thousands more to meet the high demand.
