Stuster: You wouldn't want to be an Olympic loser in North Korea
North Korea's Kim Un Hyang, left, walks from the pitch with teammates Choe Un Ju, second left, Kim Su Gyong, center, and Kim Nam Hui after their 1-0 loss to the United States at the London 2012 Summer Olympics. (July 31, 2012) Credit: AP
The Olympics have left in their wake a glut of sports metaphors and even a few diplomatic spats, but the games themselves are over. The athletes have headed home. Some will receive heroes' welcomes, others, less so. Where are the best and worst places to go home to as an international athlete?
Not all athletes have a reason to look forward to going home. In Canada, athletes have faced unemployment challenges, and in Australia, Tanzania, and elsewhere, athletes are already dealing with a disappointed press. A Dutch show jumping horse named London, which leapt to two silver medals with rider Gerco Schroder, might not even leave England after being seized as part of an ongoing bankruptcy proceeding. It could be worse, though.
