When Shaun White dropped out of the Winter Olympics' first ever snowboard slopestyle competition last week, a modest controversy began after other riders criticized his late cancellation as selfish and inconsiderate.
But it turns out that won't be the most interesting subplot of Tuesday's men's snowboard halfpipe final. Two-time gold medalist White will take center stage during the halfpipe event at 12:30 a.m. ET, which Olympians have blasted this week as shoddily built, dangerous and generally "crappy."
See also: Shaun White's Olympic Slopestyle Exit: Prudent or Selfish?
"It is a little dangerous," women's snowboarder Hannah Teter of Team USA told USA Today on Monday. "I saw more people fall today than I have all season. It's just dangerous because it's crappy, you know?"
"It's the Olympics. It should be flawless," Team USA's Danny Davis told Yahoo Sports the same day. "What a lame showcase of snowboarding, and what a lame way to treat the athletes."
By Tuesday morning's qualifying runs, the level of criticism had simmered down a bit, but snowboarders still called the conditions less than ideal. Men's qualifying runs were marred by 34 crashes, according to Yahoo's Jeff Passan.
"There's not a whole lot of control in there," Taylor Gold of Team USA told the site on Tuesday. "I'm hanging on for dear life."
The chief concern of Olympic snowboarders has been the halfpipe's bumpy bottom; steep drops have also been called out. Organizers have scrambled to address the issues, using chemicals and man-made snow in attempts to create a better ride. But the construction of the pipe in its current form remains unclear. John Melville, who built the pipe, cast blame on weather conditions and time pressure from the Olympics Broadcasting Service (OBS), but the OBS has not admitted to any time restrictions. The International Olympic Committee, meanwhile, said the pipe falls under the jurisdiction of the International Ski Federation, which oversees Olympic snowboarding.
For his part, White — the runaway favorite in the men's halfpipe — stopped short of blasting the course this week, but hoped it could be improved.
"I’m hoping they can do whatever they can to make it a better pipe," he told The Washington Post on Monday. "It’s hard to get here and see this and feel the pressure. I don’t know.”
White himself was criticized by other snowboarders after pulling out of the men's snowboard slopestyle contest at the last minute, possibly costing a younger, less established rider a spot on Team USA.
That noise has, for the most part, died down. Much like diminished criticisms over the pipe itself, peripheral distractions will hopefully fall to the wayside as focus turns to White and the five other snowboarders who will compete in Tuesday's men's finals.
Unless, however, someone takes an ugly spill — in which case anxiety will only double before the women's halfpipe final on Wednesday.
Fans limbo under a U.S. flag to celebrate Jamie Anderson's gold medal in the women's snowboard slopestyle final at the 2014 Winter Olympics on Feb. 9 in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.
A fan awaits the start of the women's freestyle skiing moguls final at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on Feb. 8.
Judges look on during the ladies' normal hill individual ski jumping training at the Ruski Gorki Jumping Center on Feb. 9.
Norwegian fans enjoy the atmosphere during the alpine skiing men's downhill at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center on Feb. 9 in Sochi.
A Russian supporter smiles on his way from the Laura Cross Country Ski & Biathlon Center on Feb. 9.
A fan cheers during the men's 5,000-meter speed-skating event on Feb. 8.
Russian supporters attend the men's alpine skiing downhill at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center on Feb. 9.
A pin collector displays his bling ahead of the men's luge singles on day two of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Sliding Center Sanki on Feb. 9.
Fans look on (one perhaps more enthusiastic than others) during the men's figure skating free skate at the Iceberg Skating Palace on Feb. 9.
Supporters snap a few shots before the men's luge singles at the Sliding Center Sanki on Feb. 9.
Under orange lighting, gold medalist Sven Kramer of the Netherlands walks through a crowd of cheering fans after winning the gold in the men's 5,000-meter speed-skating race Feb. 8. Kramer set a new Olympic record during the event.
Decked-out fans amuse themselves before the men's luge singles at the Sliding Center Sanki on Feb. 9.
Fans cheer at the finish line during the men's singles luge final on Feb. 9 in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.
A Norwegian fan dressed as a viking smiles ahead of the medal ceremony at Medals Plaza on Feb. 9.
Semen Pavlichenko of Russia passes fans, as he brakes at the finish line during the men's singles luge final on Feb. 9.
A fan waves the Russian flag at the men's 5,000-meter speed-skating event at the Adler Arena Skating Center on Feb. 8.
Olympic supporters cheer at the finish line during the men's singles luge final on Feb. 9.
The crowd gets riled up during the women's 3,000-meter speed skating competition on Feb. 9.
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