Phelps 18 gold - Argentina 17 gold

[El chabon]

That says about everything but when I tell an Argentine that he/she will say how hard it is in Argentina to play sports, and there is no state policy to support athletes

First there is a state policy atleast the last few years and playing sports and excell in sports has all got to with those 3 factors

1: talent
2: dedication
3: family who you support and motivate to reach for the stars

Money is really a Non factor in this, its true that most athletes get financial asistence from there state when they are grown up but the first 18 years of your life you and your family are responsible for your succes

I even think its easier to be an athlete in Argentina because i cant imagine that half the athletes would have qualified if there was a global qualification

For example male hockey, volleybal and handbal teams and probally many more indivdual athletes

 

[Amargo]

Money is really a Non factor in this, its true that most athletes get financial asistence from there state when they are grown up but the first 18 years of your life you and your family are responsible for your succes

I even think its easier to be an athlete in Argentina because i cant imagine that half the athletes would have qualified if there was a global qualification

For example male hockey, volleybal and handbal teams and probally many more indivdual athletes

What an utter piece of cr@p

 

[El chabon]

I am sorry, I was under the impression this forum was for debate

 

[bomber]

Definitely crap. And isn't that a valid viewpoint?

Shall we compare the money available for sports programs in schools & universities in the US compared to Argentina?

Or the number of sporting fields/venues in both schools and outside schools?

Or the population?

Should I go on?

Next you'll be comparing the US swim team's performance against the Kenyan swim team's.

But basically, this comment shows you have absolutely no idea about what is required to achieve world class sporting performance:

Money is really a Non factor in this

Or are the top football/baseball/basketball/any-sport clubs at the top due merely to their good training programs?

 

[PhilinBSAS]

Money is really a Non factor in this, its true that most athletes get financial asistence from there state when they are grown up but the first 18 years of your life you and your family are responsible for your succes

I also respectfully disagree. Current UK success with medals is due to massive government subsidy via national Lottery money and very hard nosed policies to identify and support winners with individual sport administrators under financial penalties if they dont pick the upcoming champions from the youngest age possible and then invest time and money and the best training possible from the highest paid trainers in the world. All this was put in place after the national disgrace of Atlanta games when only one gold achieved and well before the London games had been awarded.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19144983

quote .... But, in the end, as cynical and unpalatable as it may sound, the main reason behind the team's overall success is cold, hard cash. ... endquote

I agree with you it "should be" about individual endeavour and the support of people close who care but even Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin who set it all up wanted it to be about national prowess as much as individual achievement.

Once you have national pride involved well sport becomes war by any other name and we know who win wars - big nations with lots of cash and clout and a single minded desire to harness their resources to project their national self image and impose this on others. ugly if you put it like that

 

[PhilinBSAS]

I also respectfully disagree. Current UK success with medals is due to massive government subsidy via national Lottery money and very hard nosed policies to identify and support winners with individual sport administrators under financial penalties if they dont pick the upcoming champions from the youngest age possible and then invest time and money and the best training possible from the highest paid trainers in the world. All this was put in place after the national disgrace of Atlanta games when only one gold achieved and well before the London games had been awarded.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19144983

quote .... But, in the end, as cynical and unpalatable as it may sound, the main reason behind the team's overall success is cold, hard cash. ... endquote

I agree with you it "should be" about individual endeavour and the support of people close who care but even Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin who set it all up wanted it to be about national prowess as much as individual achievement.

Once you have national pride involved well sport becomes war by any other name and we know who win wars - big nations with lots of cash and clout and a single minded desire to harness their resources to project their national self image and impose this on others. ugly if you put it like that

 

[Caliexpat]

@El Chabon, sorry to poo poo your post but really, who cares?

Big deal, Phelps got 18 medals, good for him, his family and the sponsors of the Olympics who receive higher ratings during their ad spots. Why do we always feel the need to constantly make competitive comparisons all the time. Why does everything have to be a competition?

Maybe the medal count is important to you but I highly doubt that it's important to the average Argentine. With all the problems going on in this country today, I'm sure one of the last items is how many medals the country brings home from the over publicized and over hyped Olympics.

 

[solerboy]

People may find these alternative tables to Olympic performance interesting

http://www.medalspercapita.com/

 

[PhilinBSAS]

People may find these alternative tables to Olympic performance interesting

http://www.medalspercapita.com/

Very interesting indeed

How ever you cut it NZ still ahead of Oz

http://news.uk.msn.com/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=250835829

"London 2012 is turning into a sporting nightmare for Australia"

Argentina chance for some schadenfreude!

(you see what I did there? Germany also appalling results)

 

[niceguyeddie]

There is also an interesting article here regarding the correlation between olympic success and funding:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19144983