Canadian Figure Skater Had the Best Excuse While Asking Professor for Homework Extension

Chances are, most of those who have attended college have at some point gone through the humbling experience of asking a professor for an extension.

We all have our reasons, and whether justified (a legitimate emergency) or unjustified (a hangover that feels like an emergency), for the most part, college professors are willing to be understanding of their students.

But of all the possible excuses a student could have for missing the due date of an assignment, Canadian figure skater Maddie Schizas has us all beat.

In a post shared to Instagram, Schizas showed an email she was sending to one of her professors asking for a few extra days to finish an assignment, as she was busy at the Olympics, being an Olympian. She even included a link to a press release from the Canadian Olympic Committee to prove she wasn’t making up a sob story.

Is this the most valid excuse in academic history?

Canadian figure skater Maddie Schizas posted her email to her professor, asking for an extension due to her participation in the Milano Cortina Olympics 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fg1CDbaiZq
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 7, 2026

“My dog ate my homework,” might have worked back in the day, but now, “I had to walk in the Parade of Nations,” might be the new go-to excuse for students looking for a few extra days to work on a project.

There’s nothing easy about being a student athlete.

Balancing coursework and the demanding schedule of athletic competition can be a daunting task, and those who work to excel both in their studies and their pursuit of sporting greatness should be celebrated.

That said, when a student needs an extra few days because they were busy representing their country in the Olympics, I say we give it to them.

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