Sasha Cohen: Opinion Piece and Fan Essay Reignite Debate Over Olympic Figure Skating’s Costs
Sasha Cohen is at the center of a renewed conversation about the sacrifices and allure of Olympic figure skating after two recent pieces framed the sport as both agonizing and intoxicating. One is a reflective essay by a former Olympic podium finisher who revisited a two-decade career marked by serious injuries, a near-miss at the podium in 2002 and a silver-medal return in 2006; the other is a college writer’s confession of envy and admiration as the 2026 Winter Olympics run Feb. 6–22 ET.
Sasha Cohen: From podium reflections to the long toll of training
The reflective essay recounts a career that began with a childhood love of skating and was repeatedly interrupted by traumatic injuries, including a calf sliced in a collision at age 12 and a fractured lower back at 15 that forced months away from the ice. That early resilience led to making an Olympic team in 2002, where the skater finished just off the podium in fourth place and set the stage for an all-in move to train with an elite coach across the country.
Despite winning nearly every competition in the period that followed, the essayist describes the slow erosion of joy between Olympic cycles. A particularly brutal season in 2004 resulted in withdrawing from competition amid mounting mental health struggles. The athlete returned to the Olympic stage in 2006, stumbled in a critical moment yet still secured a silver medal as rivals also faltered. After two decades in the sport, retirement brought disorientation and the challenge of redefining identity off the ice.
Fan perspective as 2026 Winter Olympics unfold Feb. 6–22 ET
Parallel to the veteran’s account, a young college writer offered a contrasting personal response: not a former competitor but an admirer who longs for the perceived grace of skating. That writer acknowledged not being athletic and confessed to clinging to the rink wall in casual outings, yet is captivated by performances and the spectacle of athletes in glittering costumes. The essay explicitly notes that the 2026 Winter Olympics began on Feb. 6 and will conclude on Feb. 22 ET, and frames the games as a backdrop for the longing to be part of that world.
The college writer name-checks standout performances that have inspired late-night video binges and a fascination with both artistry and technical feats. Rather than claiming a real shot at Olympic glory, the piece turns inward: envy becomes a lens to evaluate personal expectations, accomplishments and what counts as success outside of elite sport.
Two narratives, one persistent question
Together, the two pieces present two concrete developments that are reshaping public discussion: the toll elite skating exacts on body and mind, from childhood injuries through an athlete’s mental-health-driven withdrawal and eventual retirement; and the powerful cultural pull of the Olympics as witnessed by a non-athlete fan during the Feb. 6–22 ET run of the 2026 Winter Games. The contrast highlights how the same spectacle can be experienced as a crucible of hardship by those who lived it and as an almost mythic aspiration by those who watch.
Whether framed as a confession of sacrifice or a wistful wish for a life on the ice, both voices underscore the complicated human story behind every jump, fall and medal. The exchanges prompted by these essays are fueling renewed attention to how athletes are celebrated and judged and what is lost and gained when a life is bent toward a singular, high-stakes goal.
