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The official Olympic cheerleaders(拉拉队队长)are a lot different than what you would see on the sidelines at basketball or American-style football games．Cheerleader director Paola Bosio says about 500 girls tried out to become Olympic cheerleaders．
“At the end we chose 100 girls．We have six groups, three working in ice hockey, two at speed skating and one in the mountains．So this is the first time that there is cheerleading in the Olympic Games．”
Fans disagree on whether the cheerleaders are entertaining or just a kind of distraction．After all, they do not actually cheer and they do not wear skimpy uniforms．The all-girl squad(班，队)，which ranges in age from 15 to 26, is dressed in bright orange and gold uniforms that cover them almost from shoulder to toe．
Besides not cheering for any particular team at an event, the focus of the routines is different．It is not the loud and spirited gymnastic performance one might see at college and high school events in the United States, but is more dance-oriented．
Cheerleader Camilla of Turin is 20 years old and has studied dance since she was 10．Her background includes classical dance and ballet as well as modern dance and pop．This is her first time as a cheerleader and she says she is enjoying the new experience．
Some fans expressed the opinion that the pom-pom waving and dancing was distracting because it took the focus off the athletic event they had come to see．But Kathy Moine of Los Angeles, California, had a different understanding, as well as an interesting theory about the cheerleader’s costumes．
“I think they’re just supposed to be neutral and they’re supposed to be the Olympic torches,”she said．“Not for any country but just supporting everybody, happy to be in the Olympics．”
If by definition, cheerleaders should cheer for one side and make a lot of noise, then the Olympic squad still has a lot to learn．But if they are just here to look good and liven up the atmosphere during time-outs, many would agree they have been a complete success．
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