OK, so the District of Columbia doesn’t actually have a real Olympic team that’s officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee. That isn’t stopping D.C.’s U.S. “Shadow” Representative, Mike Panetta, from convening a practice session tonight that amounts to a protest against D.C.’s second class status. We’ll let him explain:

Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, while part of the United States, each only have one, non-voting delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives — just like the District of Columbia. However, unlike those other American territories DC lacks its own Olympic committee.

That is until now. Together with some friends and co-workers who live in the District we started a movement — the District of Columbia Olympic Committee. The first team we organized in 2006 was curling, but now with the summer games approaching, we are looking people who want to join the speed walking team. So, if you live in the District and want to compete sign up today!

Check out the DCOC web site for tons more.

In case you were wondering, speed walking, or racewalking, is an actual Olympic sport. Two years ago, voting rights activists put together a curling team for the Winter Olympics, because “it was the only sport that really fit our collective athletic ability.” The D.C. racewalking team continues that fine tradition.

The first team practice is tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Smithsonian Metro entrance (on the Mall side). You can probably just show up, but the DCOC recommends registering online. You have to be a D.C. resident to join the team, and going to Beijing later this summer for a PR stunt isn’t entirely out of the question. Panetta is urging anyone willing to fund such a trip to contact him at dcolympicteam(at)gmail.com.