Wheaties, the “Breakfast of Champions”…well, not all champions. Despite having captured a third consecutive Olympic title, the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team won’t be gracing the cover of any cereal boxes in the near future. What gives?

Following a 2-0 victory over the United States in the gold-medal final, the Canadian women carried their alcohol-soaked celebration from the locker room to the ice rink in a display that drew the ire of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Games’ governing body.

According to the Associated Press, the hockey players, one underage, poured champagne into each other’s mouths and puffed on cigars, all while sporting their shiny new hardware. As the medal ceremony had ended at least an hour before this impromptu party, the only audience left besides team staff was a small international media contingent. Alas, in the Internet age, precious few moments remain private, and stories of the post-game revelry soon sped along the newswire.

Announcing plans to conduct an official investigation, IOC executive director Gilbert Felli voiced his displeasure: “I don’t think it’s a good promotion of sport values. If they celebrate in the changing room, that’s one thing, but not in public.” In an attempt to save face, a few of the athletes offered canned apologies, stating that the excitement of the occasion clouded their judgment. Instead, the writers who created such uproar about a veritable non-issue should apologize to the players for casting a shadow over a joyous day that these women should remember fondly.

Public outrage towards the incident underscores the today’s persistent sexism in the coverage of women’s sports. If Team Canada’s male counterparts had celebrated their own gold-medal win in a similar fashion, it doesn’t take much of a stretch to imagine that same press row would have been toasting right along with them. In the National Hockey League (NHL), which features teams based in both Canada and the United States, players go so far as to drink champagne directly from the prestigious silver Stanley Cup, the sport’s cherished championship trophy.

While this type of hoopla does typically occur in the closed confines of the team’s locker room, away from the bright arena lights, television cameras broadcast the debauchery to an international audience. The media and fans alike can accept somewhat boorish behavior from top athletes, as long as the competitors in question aren’t mothers or daughters.

Held every four years, the Olympic Games showcase the very pinnacle of athletic achievement. Men and women from across the globe test their competitive mettle as billions crowd around TV sets to witness history. Athletes are charged with the duty of serving as ambassadors for their home countries, both while competing on the ice and lounging around the Olympic Village. But it is no secret that the parties kick off as soon as the winners finish their victory laps. Anyone who was shocked by images of the young hockey players flashing empty bottles of bubbly and mugging for the cameras probably frequents the early-bird special at Denny’s. Nevertheless, today’s 24-hour news cycle leaves reporters scrounging for stories, and athletes often pay the price for even the most harmless indiscretions.

Like the Canadian women’s hockey team, American snowboarder Scotty Lago was forced to atone for his poor etiquette in the wake of a medal-winning performance. Lago garnered a bronze medal in the men’s half-pipe snowboarding event and was apparently not shy in displaying his hard-earned prize. In a series of photos that appeared on celebrity gossip website TMZ.com, a woman was seen kneeling to kiss the medallion as it hung loosely around Lago’s waist. Given the sexual overtones of this representation, Lago was quickly reprimanded by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and eventually had to leave Vancouver, the site of this year’s Winter Olympics.

By exiling Lago from the Games, the USOC implied that his admittedly silly misstep outweighed his contributions to the American cause. The U.S. led the overall chase with a grand total of 37 medals, seven more than second-place finisher Germany. Such a considerable margin would not have been achieved without the wayward snowboarder. Similarly, the Canadian women brought great pride to their home country, but seemingly failed to live up to an arbitrary standard for social conduct.

Olympians face intense scrutiny from the press, along with the pressure to perform on an international stage. As women, the Canadian hockey team encountered the gender inequalities that pervade public discourse in Western society. But the larger issue lies in a voyeuristic culture, fueled by the rabid entertainment media that prevents young athletes from indulging in their right to occasional excess. Like they say, what she don’t know, can’t hurt her.