If American children had to work multiple jobs in order to pursue their dreams, it would stir up a whirlwind of controversy. Yet this is a common experience for many amateur American athletes hoping to compete in the Olympic Games, and it receives almost no media attention. Appearing on CSPAN’s Washington Journal, former US Olympic luge competitor and Nation contributor Samantha Retrosi railed against the “privatized sporting hierarchy” that exploits young athletes. “Athletes essentially are property of corporate sponsorship,” Retrosi told host Peter Slen. —Dustin Christensen