Canada At The 2004 Summer Olympics
Canada competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The Canadian Olympic Committee sent a team of over 200 athletes, the lowest since Canada boycotted the games in 1980. This is a result of the COC changing its standards for qualifying, with the aim of sending fewer athletes but focusing its energy on those who have the best chance at winning medals. This somewhat controversial policy was pursued after a reduced medal showing at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Canada's overall medal count has been dropping, along with the totals for most developed countries as the developing nations capture comparatively more medals. Most expected Canada to win a similar number of medals as they did in 2000.
The flag bearer was Nicolas Gill, a judoka. A mild controversy developed after it was revealed that Gill had made comments in favour of Quebec separatism, and had voted yes in the 1995 Quebec referendum.
263 competitors, 130 men and 133 women, took part in 152 events in 28 sports.
Read more about Canada At The 2004 Summer Olympics: Medalists, Broadcasts, Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Gymnastics, Judo, Modern Pentathlon, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Softball, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Officials, Official Outfitter
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“What makes the United States government, on the whole, more tolerable—I mean for us lucky white men—is the fact that there is so much less of government with us.... But in Canada you are reminded of the government every day. It parades itself before you. It is not content to be the servant, but will be the master; and every day it goes out to the Plains of Abraham or to the Champs de Mars and exhibits itself and toots.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)