The Winter Olympics. A single event to unify all of the countries of the world. A healthy competition showcasing the world’s greatest athletes to create a time for glory and national pride occurs only once every four years.

Everyone should show utter respect for each athlete, native to their country or not, who’s participating in these winter games.

Unfortunately, Canadian commentators Alain Goldberg and Claude Mailhot decided it would be okay to exchange jokes about ice-skater Johnny Weir’s sexuality. On air.

Regardless of the fact that Weir has medaled in the Olympic Games before, is a three-time U.S champion and places among the top ten ice-skaters in the world, the commentators focused on taunting his personal values.

Weir never answers questions about his sexuality (most likely because of people like these commentators), so the commentators, therefore, never should have been making such judgments to begin with.

But beyond that, Goldberg and Mailhot were openly disrespecting an Olympic athlete. Once again, these athletes are promoting world unity and giving up so much time and effort to become the best competitors and teammates that they can be. They are the best of the best, the crème de la crème.

 “They will think all boys who will skate will end up like him. It sets a bad example,” Goldberg said.

 And why would it be bad to end up like Weir?

Weir is an incredible athlete, designs costumes for himself and other world-class ice-skaters and speaks three languages. He was chosen as 2008’s “Skater of the Year” by Skating Magazine.

At the age of 25, Weir is achieving incomprehensible dreams. Every single person on this planet, Goldberg and Mailhot included, needs to be focusing on the great achievements and massive amount of talent of, not only Weir, but of each Olympic athlete.

 So go. Cheer on your country, your favorite team, your preferred athlete, but be silently thanking each and every competitor in the games.

Remember that, without them, the glory wouldn’t exist; nor would the unity, or the celebration. The Olympics wouldn’t exist.