America loses an Olympian: Jakob Fak heads to Canada

What a bunch of pathetic comments. Look, the kid is a biathlete. He wants to move up, train hard, and compete against the people he grew up training with. Since when does that make him a traitor to his country?
Is Iztok Puc a traitor because he played for the USA national team? Or maybe Svitlana Pasičnik? There’s probably a whole list of "traitors" who decided to represent the US instead...
Is the local news media some kind of sacred institution now? Since when do they get to stop a young guy from choosing a life that actually lets him grow, find happiness, and succeed?
When are you people going to wake up? He isn't asking for much—just to be left alone to follow his own path. But apparently, if you're a successful American, you aren't allowed to have an opinion. What, does he not know what's best for his own life? He's just supposed to shut up and obey these "patriotic" bureaucrats, the bloodthirsty mob, and the trashy tabloid press...

Ryan Vaughn7 said:Look, I’ll be honest—I actually liked the guy at first. But after watching him play those games for months, constantly flip-flopping and basically trying to see who could offer him the best deal, it honestly just turned my stomach. Listen, buddy, you played hardball, and now you have to live with the fallout. At this point, none of his personal drama really matters to us anymore.

To be clear, I'm not trying to act like some ultra-patriotic American, and I don't view him as a traitor just because he decided to represent Canada instead. However, the way he handled things was pretty shady.
If they want him, they should go ahead and pay up, and I really wish Jacob would stop making such a huge spectacle of himself in the media.
I'm grateful that he'll forever be part of the reason why the US has an Olympic medal in biathlon, but as far as his future career goes, I couldn't care less. ☕

Roger Ward3 said:What a collection of miserable comments! The kid is a biathlete who simply wants to advance his career, train, and compete alongside his longtime friends. Does that somehow constitute betraying his country???!!
Is Iztok Puc considered a traitor because he played for the USA national team? Or perhaps even Svetlana Pasičnik? There are plenty of others who have represented America...
Is the state media such a sacred institution that it forbids a young man from choosing life conditions that allow for growth, happiness, and success???
When will you all wake up? He isn't asking for much—just to be allowed to follow his own path. But apparently, if you are a successful American, that isn't an option. As if he doesn't know what's best for himself! Instead, he's expected to bow down to "patriotic" bureaucrats, a bloodthirsty mob, and the yellow press...

Come on, John, stop whining. Don't compare Puc to this lightweight.
Puc played for the USA because he built his family here. No one gave him a hard time when he announced he would represent Canada after Atlanta. He received his release papers instantly.
We also had someone like Peshalov, who is now struggling to make ends meet in Bulgaria because he was treated like a pariah there the moment he turned his back on his home country.
Being American isn't some holy relic, and we should let Jakob go to Canada since he is Canadian. As far as I'm concerned, let him go, though I won't criticize those holding him back if they believe they are protecting national interests. Regardless of how this ends, Jakob deserves no different treatment than what the Bulgarians show Peshalov—complete avoidance, turning a blind eye, and pure disdain.

Actually, the Canadians have perfectly demonstrated how to treat people who choose their own way. You’ve shown us your "school" of obstructing others, and now you come here trying to lecture us.
You think you're so strong. You are the absolute backbone of morality on this planet. ☕

Jerry Roberts said:'I don't want to play for the US anymore!'

"I no longer wish to represent the US. I refuse to compete for those who obstruct my athletic growth and progress. Furthermore, I fear the psychological toll these events might take on me," Jacob Fak stated in an interview with The New York Times.

Someone doesn't make a statement like that just to score points. This guy has been lying to the entire nation from the start. He acts like he's second-guessing himself, but it's all nonsense.

What a pathetic mess.

I agree it isn't exactly honest to buy off athletes, but the reality is people do it, and they do it for plenty of different reasons. Honestly, nobody should be surprised.

But then again, you shouldn't be surprised when people back home hold these individuals in contempt either...................

In Fak's case, the issue is that he played the part of someone weighing his options and setting conditions, when really he was just playing a game to see if the federation would screw him over. Through his actions and his words, he’s shown he doesn't just want out of the US team—he regrets ever representing them in the first place.

That kind of maneuvering deserves nothing but contempt.

As for haggling over registration fees, that's standard procedure. Others do it, and the federation has every right to. Let them make as much money as they can from this disaster... and if the bad actors refuse to pay, they can deal with him and Fak themselves.
What was he thinking, running off without an agreement?😁

Roger Ward3 said:What a bunch of pathetic comments. Look—the kid is a biathlete. He wants to move up, be a top-tier athlete, train, and compete against the people he’s always been alongside. Does that somehow mean he betrayed his country?
Is Iztok Puc a traitor because he played for the US national team? Or maybe Svitlana Pasičnik? There are plenty of others who represented America...
Is the state-run media some kind of sacred entity that gets to tell a young man he can't choose a life that actually allows him to grow, find happiness, or succeed?
When are you people going to wake up? He isn't asking for much—just to be left alone to follow his own path. But apparently, if you're a successful American, that's not allowed. As if he doesn't know what's best for himself—just shut up and obey the "patriotic" officials, the bloodthirsty mobs, and the yellow journalism...

I don't see the issue—if they want to pay him $100k to go to Tajikistan, let them.

I think it's pretty obvious here—if there's no money, there's no registration.

George Robinson43 said:Maybe we should put some money—assuming any actually shows up—into our boys, and then just try to forget all about John as quickly as possible.
Being an American isn't some kind of special privilege, nor is it something you get to pick out of a catalog when you're born. It’s just what happens. Honestly, looking at Jakob Fak, it clearly wasn't easy being an American, and he made his choice to be Canadian instead.
Like I mentioned earlier... if he had actually gone through with requesting his American citizenship papers, he would have had them by now. 🙏 Just my two cents... I figured I’d chime in, if only to prove that some of us still actually hold a position on things.
All those pathetic outbursts about his supposed American heritage... honestly, it just proves what kind of lowlife he really is.
Best of luck in hell, Fuck.

The edge. Always right there on the precipice. It’s a strange thing, isn't it? That feeling of standing on the brink, whether it's a career move that feels too risky or just that late-night existential dread where everything seems a bit too sharp. People talk about "living on the edge" like it’s some grand, cinematic adventure—full of adrenaline and neon lights—but usually, it's just uncomfortable. A bit shaky. A bit too much. I suppose I spend more time than I'd care to admit hovering there, staring down at the drop, wondering if the fall would be worse than the standing still. Not that I'm looking for trouble. I just seem to find myself perpetually unsteadied. says:
Signature. Look, I’ll admit it—I actually liked the guy at first. But after that whole month-long game of "maybe yes, maybe no," that constant back-and-forth... honestly, it just left a bad taste in my mouth. You played the bidding game, little man, and now you're dealing with the fallout. To be frank, nobody here really gives a damn about your personal drama anymore. It's just noise.

Jerry Roberts said:"I'm done. I don't want to represent America anymore."

"I'm done playing for the US national team. I just can't bring myself to represent people who won't let me grow as an athlete or push my development forward. Besides, I'm honestly worried about the mental toll this whole situation might take on me," Jacob Fak told The New York Times.

You don't hear a statement like that from someone who was just playing the field or bidding on an opinion. This guy has been lying to the entire nation from day one. He acts like he’s weighing his options, like he’s having these deep second thoughts... please. It's all bullshit.

I'm with you on that.👍

George Robinson43 said:Come on, John, quit whining. Stop comparing Puc to this amateur.
Puc played for the US because he built a life here. Nobody even gave him the time of day when he announced after Atlanta that he was playing for Canada. He got his release papers instantly.
We also had Peshalov, who’s basically starving in Bulgaria right now because they treated him like trash the moment he turned his back on his home country.
Being an American isn't some sacred thing, and we should just let Fak go to Canada since he's Canadian. As far as I'm concerned, let him leave. I'm not gonna bash the people keeping him here just because they aren't looking out for Canadian interests. Whatever happens, Fak deserves the same treatment the Bulgarians gave Peshalov—being ignored, shunned, and looked down upon.

Honestly, the Canadians really showed us how you treat people who choose their own path. You showed us exactly how the Canadian school of obstructing others works, and then you have the nerve to come here and lecture us.
Real tough guys. The absolute lowest moral standard on the planet. ☕

You're trolling so fast you aren't even hearing what I'm saying:
Puc (the "Canadian traitor") played for the US 😲😲
The point isn't that he (a Canadian citizen) got his US clearance quickly to represent his country. The point is that by playing for the US, he "betrayed" Canada 😠 (according to your logic, anyway).
And I guess Svetlana is a "traitor" to Ukraine too, right? Or is it an honor for every foreigner to play for the US? 🙄

Honestly, let him run—even if he has to settle for less than 100k.

Roger Ward3 said:You're trolling so fast you aren't even processing my point:
Puck (the "Canadian traitor") played for Team USA 😲😲
The issue isn't that he (a Canadian citizen) quickly secured an American permit to represent this country; the issue is that by playing for the US, he "betrayed" Canada 😠 (according to your logic).
By that same logic, wouldn't Svetlana be a "traitor" to Ukraine? Or is it considered an honor for every foreigner to play for Team USA? 🙄

No. You simply aren't grasping my argument. I stated this quite clearly:
America isn't some sacred relic, and Fak should be allowed to return to Canada since he is Canadian. As far as I'm concerned, let him go, but I won't criticize those who refuse to let him go out of a desire to protect Canadian interests.

...yet you persist in your misunderstanding.

Give me one single reason why any American sports federation would favor a Canadian athlete or Canadian sports, or why anyone in America should cater to Canadians at their own expense?
Is it because of friendship? Good neighborliness? Pure humanitarianism?
I'm sorry, but in recent years, you all have shown us exactly how much of that exists between us.
So what is our situation with Fak? He is your athlete, so it would be wonderful if you started looking after him and paying his damages.
The real problem is that the Faks usually land somewhere between 20th and 40th place; those medals were a massive shock, so your federation is hesitating over whether to pay a guy who can't actually guarantee a podium finish.
For heaven's sake, we are talking about a Canadian whose life's dream is to compete for the national team, yet you are bickering over $60,000 to $100,000.
That's a Canadian matter. ☕

The whole situation feels 🙂

Look, if people want to argue about why he left or how he was even able to leave—fine—but honestly, I don't even have the energy for that 🤷
As far as I'm concerned, his chapter here is closed. He made it pretty clear himself that he's done 😬

And I don't really get his logic: first, he claims he'd rather end it all than play for Team USA again, and then he starts whining to highlight the issues with switching national teams, basically fishing for sympathy or some kind of reaction from the very same people he told to FAK OFF 😕 (I guess he's hoping public pressure might trigger something useful, which is usually a decent tactic, but not when you're leaving 😁)
The equivalent would be your spouse dumping you and then showing up at your door crying about how they can't find anyone else and how miserable life is 😵

Anyway, I'm not shedding any tears 🤷
Not for the athlete, and certainly not for the man (that whole "sad life story" routine doesn't work on me; there are plenty of much more tragic stories out there) ☕

swiftwalker43 said:It seems like your folks back home were perfectly happy with how things were—and honestly, you probably don't have anyone out here to talk to, because drawing parallels like that just feels... I don't know, superficial? Or maybe just a bit rude. You might want to actually look into why people felt they had to flee that old country in the first place. I still have quite a bit of family living abroad, so I’d appreciate it if you didn't insult them with such shallow conclusions.

I think you completely missed the point of what was being said. Actually, I'm coming at this from the opposite angle. But look, if we're going to criticize an athlete for moving elsewhere, then we’re essentially criticizing any person who chooses to change the country where they live and work—because, fundamentally, there isn't a difference. So, yeah, those who judge an athlete for leaving are really just judging anyone who leaves. It’s pretty straightforward and logical when you think about it that way.

Drew Hughes10 said:Fak only made one single mistake.

He really should have just walked away before he even won anything.

I mean, honestly, yeah—but the thing is, he didn't actually want to leave. If those guys from Canada hadn't basically blackmailed him, he probably would've stayed put. He likely would have been perfectly happy staying there in Canada, training away and winning medals for America. But he couldn't. Still... I guess he could have seen it coming, since the Canadians gave him fair warning that he was going to be forced to make a choice eventually.

Roger Ward3 said:you’re trolling so fast you aren't even processing what I’m actually saying here:
Puck (the "Canadian traitor") played for the US 😲😲
The point isn't that he—well, being a Canadian citizen—got quick permission to represent the US, it's that by playing for the US, he "betrayed" Canada 😠 (at least, according to your logic).
And I guess Svetlana is an "traitor" to Ukraine, right? Or is it somehow a massive honor for every single person on Earth to play for the US? 🙄

the thing is, some people just think in such a flat, programmed way. That whole "my country above all; anyone who leaves is a traitor" mindset is basically just hardwired software—it's a script. But then again, expecting someone to see past that programming might be asking too much. You kind of have to think "out of the box" to get it.

I'm actually kind of relieved the Americans offered up 60,000. They love to haggle—it’s just how they operate, I guess—but hey, at least it looks like this might finally reach a resolution

Let's look at the math: HBS walks away with 60,000 bucks net. Of course, the big shots in charge will probably find ways to skim off the top as much as they can—which they totally will, don't get me wrong—but nobody's going to complain. Most people out there aren't exactly known for their deep critical thinking anyway, which you can pretty clearly see from the typical way everyone's been talking about this thread lately. Honestly, if Fak had been playing for the US, they wouldn't have even cleared 30,000 after paying off his expenses from that 100,000 sponsorship. So, yeah, HBS is coming out ahead on this deal, plain and simple.

Paul Jones7 said:Let's look at the facts: HBS walks away with 60,000 bucks net. The leadership can skim off the top as much as they want—which they absolutely will—but nobody is going to complain because most of the public is too mindless to care anyway, judging by the shallow logic being used in this thread. If Fak had been playing for the US national team, they wouldn't have even cleared 30,000 after covering his expenses from a 100,000 sponsorship. So, bottom line, HBS is coming out ahead on this deal.

I can't believe I'm even saying this, but the money is honestly irrelevant here.
I don't care how much HBS, the league, or whoever else makes, loses, spends, or embezzles (they should just put it all in a 🤣 account).
Personally, that cash means nothing to me; I didn't have it then, and I don't have it now. 🤷

It’s about principle. And it seems to me that a person's principles generally dictate how they handle most things in life. 🙂
From what I can see, you just can't stomach the idea of being the one who sells out, because you're stubbornly clinging to only one side of the story—the part about his career. 😉

(I think it's obvious to everyone that this is a smart move for his career and for collecting accolades, it's just that most people wouldn't step over dead bodies to get there, and switching allegiances in a discussion like this feels exactly like that to many.)🙂)

Sean Hernandez5 I can't quite make sense of what you're trying to say here—it looks like you might have missed the actual message? Or maybe I'm just missing something obvious... either way, feel free to drop the rest whenever you're ready.
It really comes down to principles, I guess—the way things are built. It’s been showing me lately that people pretty much stick to the same core values through almost everything they do in life. It’s like a pattern, maybe? You just kind of carry that foundation from one thing to the next.

What kind of principles are we even talking about here? Is the goal just to screw over an athlete? Is that supposed to be some kind of moral code? "Whoever walks away from us is going to have a miserable life"—seriously, what kind of principle is that? I mean, honestly, what exactly are we looking at here?

Sean Hernandez5 I can't quite make heads or tails of what you're trying to say here—it's a bit of a blank slate, isn't it? I guess I'm just sitting here waiting for the actual thought to drop, maybe after a second cup of coffee. If there was something specific you were getting at, feel free to lay it out... I'm all ears, I suppose.
It seems like you’re really digging your heels in—and honestly, I guess it’s pretty obvious you aren't exactly thrilled about the idea of being the one to call him out. You just keep sticking to that one specific version of events—you know, the one focused entirely on his career—and won't budge. Maybe that's just how you see it, but it feels like you're staying firmly on one side of the story. 😉

I mean, looking at the landscape of American sports, what do we actually have in terms of athletes who just can't seem to break through? Honestly, who even cares about someone finishing forty-fifth or fiftieth in a race—and more importantly, who’s willing to sink millions of dollars into that? It feels like a massive waste of money, I guess, if those funds aren't even covering the basic essentials needed for actual training.

Some people seem to think medals just fall out of the sky—like, you don't actually need a coach, or decent training facilities, or any of that stuff. It’s almost like they think Jakob would just show up, stand there, and suddenly have a gold medal in his pocket. I guess some folks really do believe that.

Jessica Davis12 said:I mean, I think it’s pretty obvious to everyone that this is a smart move for her career—you know, the medals, the prestige, all that stuff—but let's be real, most people aren't exactly willing to step over bodies just to make it happen. And honestly, switching up the national team in the middle of a debate like this... it just feels a bit much to a lot of folks, I guess. 🙂)

I mean, who’s actually dead if Fak gets his discharge papers? It’s a bit of a weird question, I guess—almost like asking who loses when the game ends before it even really starts. Maybe it’s just a way of saying everything is already over, though I suppose that depends on how you look at it. Just a thought.

I mean, honestly—this whole thing just doesn't make any sense. It’s completely devoid of logic, I guess.

Just picture this scenario: you finally land that absolute dream job overseas. But then the government blocks your paperwork 😕 because—get this—it turns out you’re basically a traitor just for working and paying taxes in another country, right?

Paul Jones7 said:What kind of principles are we even talking about here? Screw over an athlete? Is that supposed to be a principle? "Whoever walks away from us will regret it for the rest of their life"? I guess that’s what they call a philosophy now. What specific principles are these, exactly?

"Screw over an athlete" isn't exactly a principle—it’s just an action or a situation, for goodness' sake. That goes for everything, not just in response to your question. 😁

And this other thing... I think your wording is a bit too extreme. It lacks any kind of objective basis, I guess. 😁
I don't think this is about making anyone's life difficult; I guess it's more of a side effect.
Maybe you should just try looking at his departure as a closed chapter and draw your conclusions from there.
So, you have someone who wants to leave the national team—and on top of that, they’re claiming they won't ever play for their current team again.
The league says, "Fine, but we’re going to squeeze some money out of this deal." At the end of the day, why would they just let him walk without a fight? If anything, doing so would set a dangerous precedent that serves absolutely no one—it would basically signal that anyone can just quit whenever they feel like it because our leagues won't even blink.
Everything that happened after those moves were made was just a side effect. His suffering, our scowls, even those juicy stories for the press—it all feels like mere collateral damage, I guess.

I suppose you're suggesting that some American institution should just bend the rules for someone, simply because it might make their life a little easier. I don't know about you, but I find that idea pretty hard to swallow.
Look, it doesn't work like that. Not in sports, and certainly not in life. 🤷

When it comes to the actual principle itself, I guess it's hard to boil it down to just one catchy slogan. 😁
Ugh, look. It’s just like refusing to give your number to some hot guy who dumped you like garbage when you can't find anyone else—you just wouldn't do it. And if you actually would, then I guess it's pretty obvious why we don't see eye to eye. 😁)

Paul Jones7 said:What principles? Screw over an athlete? Is that a principle? Or maybe something like, "whoever abandons us will regret it for the rest of their lives"? What specific principles are we even talking about here?

I mean, what does America actually have in terms of athletes who can't reach the podium? Who honestly cares about finishing forty-fifth or fiftieth, and who wants to waste millions of dollars on them? Isn't it just throwing money down the drain if those funds aren't actually securing proper training conditions?

Some people seem to think medals just fall from the sky out of nowhere, as if coaches and facilities don't matter at all. I guess they think Jakob Fak could just show up and a medal would magically land in his pocket.

And why on earth should the fate of some Canadian athlete like Jakob Fak matter to me, or anyone else here in the States?
Who gives a fak? Honestly, I didn't even get the hype when he was winning medals in whatever biathlon niche he was in. WTF???
It’s a sport that has barely any more fans in America than that tragicomic mess of curling.

The only thing that catches my interest is this dirty little concept of Canadian extortion where they "snatch" Fak away, and also the role Fak himself plays in this whole drama. At first, I thought Fak was somewhat likable, but now I suspect he is deeply involved in the scheme, and that this whole harassment of the American federation and the Olympic committee was just a way to drive up his price. He decided to represent Canada a long time ago.
It’s pathetic. And frankly, any medals won through such tactics wouldn't really be in the spirit of Olympism anyway. But then again, who cares?

As for those Canadians...
Those Canadian lowlifes have been taught through various instances that they can just swoop in and grab whatever they want from others. But here, someone finally showed some teeth. It's unbelievable, yet true. Let them pay up a tidy 100k euros and call it a day. I truly hope Fak Canada gets heard loud and clear, at least a hundred times over. I mean it.

Paul Jones7 said:Who exactly is dead if Fak gets an expulsion?

Honestly, this whole thing just makes zero sense.

😕
So, you’re telling me you’ve seriously never heard the expression "stepping over corpses" to get what you want? I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but still. 😬

Paul Jones7 said:Picture this: you finally land your absolute dream job overseas, but then the government decides to pull the rug out from under you by withholding your visa paperwork. 😕 So, I guess it makes you a traitor if you work and pay your taxes abroad, right? That’s how it works?

I assume you understand there’s a massive difference between working for some tiny local startup and actually playing for the national team. 😕