Since the Winter Olympics started in Sochi two weeks ago, my eyes have been opened to a whole world of new sports that I have never had the opportunity to watch before.
But now I have watched them, along with a good percentage of the British public, I feel like I know a bit more about them (although I’m still getting my head around the curling tactics) and suddenly we become experts on the athletes and their sport.
Watching Jenny Jones and Lizzy Yarnold win their medals gave me that same pride I felt watching Team GB compete at the 2012 summer games.
Competing at the Olympics is the pinnacle of these athletes career and getting there is a culmination of time and incredible effort.
So when it goes wrong for some athletes, as it has, you want to reach out for them.
Take Elise Christie for example. The speed skater was penalised for an accident in her first race and disqualified for her outside the line finish in her second.
When she was penalised again yesterday. it was a shock and I watched her interview with the same empathy I felt for Andy Murray after the 2012 Wimbledon final.
Last week, Christie admitted she had quit Twitter because of the abuse she had received following her first disqualification.
It is incredibly easy to judge from the sofa and criticize these athletes but it certainly isn’t right and there is no need for the outright abuse that the likes of Elise Christie and skier Chemmy Alcott have received.
For the Team GB athletes competing in Sochi this is the biggest stage for them to perform on and when it goes wrong or they don’t quite meet expectations the last thing they need is someone insulting them for it and furthermore, insulting them about things that don’t even relate to their sport.
I’m glad that there is an audience that has been captivated by the Winter Olympics and supported the athletes competing. But for those who have used it as an opportunity to ridicule and abuse those representing their country because they are the best in their sport, perhaps it would be wise to remember, if you haven’t got anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.