Guzzling champagne, swigging beer and puffing cigars... how the Canadian women's ice hockey team celebrated winning gold

Bubbly: Canada's Haley Irwin, left, and Tessa Bonhomme, right, celebrate after Canada beat USA 2-0 to win the women's gold medal ice hockey


The IOC has launched an investigation into the Canadian women ice hockey players after they celebrated their gold medal by guzzling beer, swigging from bottles of champagne and puffing on cigars in front of thousands of fans this morning.

Players came back onto the ice more than half an hour after the 2-0 victory over the United States.

Still in their uniforms and with gold medals draped around their necks, they posed for pictures as they boozed openly even though some are not legal drinking age.


Smokin': Meghan Agosta and Gillian Apps puff away on cigars after Canada beat USA in the final


One player, Rebecca Johnston, even tried to drive the ice-resurfacing machine.
Gilbert Felli, the IOC's executive director of the Olympic Games, said he was unaware of the incidents until informed by a reporter.

'If that's the case, that is not good,' Felli said.

'It is not what we want to see. I don't think it's a good promotion of sport values. If they celebrate in the changing room, that's one thing, but not in public. We will investigate what happened.'

Felli said the IOC would talk to the international ice hockey federation and the Canadian Olympic Committee to get more information.

'We will first find the facts and then act accordingly,' he said.


Haley Irwin and Meghan Agosta of Canada kneel on the ice and celebrate winning the gold medal with bubbly and beer


On ice: The IOC has launched an investigation into the Canadian's exuberant celebrations


Meghan Agosta and Marie-Philip Poulin posed wearing goofy grins. Haley Irwin poured champagne into the mouth of Tessa Bonhomme, gold medals swinging from both their necks.

Poulin, who scored both goals in the victory, doesn't turn 19 until next month, when she'll be of legal drinking age in British Columbia.

The drinking age in Alberta, where the Canadian team trains, is 18. Photos show Poulin on the ice, with a beer in her hand.

'We understand that they were asked to go back on to the playing field after the stadium had emptied to take a photo,' IOC spokesman Mark Adams said.

'We understand that some people may have felt that their behaviour was over-exuberant.'

Steve Keough, a spokesman for the Canadian Olympic Committee, said the COC had not provided the alcohol nor initiated the party.


Haley Irwin of Canada celebrates winning the gold medal with a bottle of bubbly during the ice hockey women's gold medal game between Canada and USA


Dejected but dignified: Caitlin Cahow and Monique Lamoureux of the United States look on after receiving their silver medals


'In terms of the actual celebration, it's not exactly something uncommon in Canada,' he said, referring to raucous locker-room celebrations that are a tradition in some professional team sports.

'If these athletes were of legal age, then it's not something that's against the law,' he said.

'We can understand there's a lot of sensitivity around celebrations.

'We condone celebrations. We don't condone actions of irresponsibility,' he said.
'I think Canadians understand it's quite an emotional moment for our team. It was not our intention to go against any IOC protocols.'

Other celebrations at these Olympics have raised eyebrows.

After Jon Montgomery won a gold medal for Canada in skeleton, he walked through the streets of Whistler guzzling from a pitcher of beer that he gripped with two hands.

American Scotty Lago, who won a bronze in halfpipe, voluntarily left the games after a photo surfaced of a woman kneeling below his waist to kiss the medal.


Canada's Rebecca Johnston rides on an ice surfacing machine as teammates celebrate their gold medal victory against the U.S.


The gold winning Canadian team enjoy a bottle of Champagne following the medal's ceremony


source: dailymail