saveme

I read an interesting article in The Times entitled

'Higher, Faster, Yes. More meritocratic? No.

The gist of it is that it is a myth that the Olympics are a bastion of meritocracy where success is based upon hard work and talent, not privilege.

For instance at Athens 58 % of winners went to independent schools but only 7 % of the population of GB went to these schools. If sporting talent is spread evenly then the 93 % of the population who attend state schools are chronically under-represented.

When Baron de Coubertin set up the modern Olympics he packed it with 'toff' sports like sailing, equestrianism, rowing that are only available to the rich.

Many countries around the world have average incomes of £309 whereas the fees for Eton are £24,999 pa.

The British Government is now throwing huge sums of money into sports like cycling and so we are beating the Aussies at their own game.

God it feels good.

Hutch

I remember all these arguments during the '80s and '90s - sports commentators in the UK would complain that the French or the yanks or the aussies poured oodles of money into sports. Now the playing field has been levelled and the enemy don't like it up 'em.

stuckinblighty

Here comes another gold...pendleton 1-0 up in the best of 3 final..and she's beating an Aussie so the're having to show it !!!

rule britannia

Nu-Shooz

Same here, i haven't a clue what's going on.

Come on GB, about time we won something

saveme

I should point out that the Olympics has clashed with the opening of the new Premier League season and no prizes for guessing which is more popular with a sizeable proportion of the population!

St.Georges Girl

Welcome to Australia Sam.

saveme

I remember during the last Commonwealth Games hearing a 'result' on the radio in Sydney. The Aussie won silver so was named but the gold wasn't mentioned.

If there was only one competitor in an event and he/she was an Aussie the commentator would still SHRIEK 'GOLD, GOLD, GOLD! FOR AUSTRALIA!'

Cheetah7

What I really don't understand is that all sportsmen (good ones that is) have to accept that they win some and they lose some and part of being a winner so to speak, is to have the ability to congratulate another team if they win.

The biggest losers of all are the ones that cannot accept that they are the best at everything and anyone else that beats them is 'shit' or 'its a fix'.

Anyway, 'round 2' will recommence tomorrow as I havent seen him all afternoon.

As I said, I can tie people in more knots than a tangled G String when it comes to logical thinking so if he wants to keep telling me 'how crap the UK is' then he will find that out for himself.

He demanded to know why I support Team GB when I am living in Australia. I pointed out to him that if he moved to the UK to live, no doubt he would still support Australia. He replied 'That is different'.

I gently tried to ask him why and by the time I had finished explaining to him that it wasn't really different, he buggered off again.

I await tomorrow with excitement - this is better than riding elephants in Thailand, I am having so much fun.

moneypenny20

So I'm hearing things when I hear commentators getting excited about top sportsmen and women of other nations breaking records and doing really well?

Presumably I'm also seeing and hearing things when I see different counties standing on the gold podium singing to their national anthems whilst their flags were going up with not an Aussie one in sight? Maybe I'm watching a parallel games.

scrubbedexpat055

06:45 - Bryony Shaw finishes the medal race in second to secure herself a bronze medal, the first British women's windsurfing medal ever

Wilgar

OMG Never known an Olympiad like this one.I cannot beleive we are overall
3rd place behind the two countries who sent the most athletes to compete!
Go Team GB.

cresta57

I don't think the Australian athletes are sore losers at all, they're always quick to congratulate the winners whoever they are.
Just a small proportion of Aussies are sore losers just like the U.K it those vocal few we hear, the problem is everyone hears & remembers a negative comment or jibe while the praise & favorable comments are forgotten in an instance
I think both teams have done exceptionally well so far

NKSK version 2

I notice that the current chip is about Great Britain comprising of at least 3 countries - even The Australian has a dig about it today.

I think the argument that the UK is 3 times the size of Australia (and so should have 3 times the medals) is fair but, with regards to the above, what the Aussies fail to realise is that Wales, Scotland and England (much as I'd wish this to be different) are about as distinct from the UK as WA, Vic, NSW etc are from Australia. In fact there's probably an argument that the states in Australia are more autnomous and independent than the countries which make up the UK.

Never seem to hear that side of things though....

rabsody

Yes I was told today that "GB are way behind Australia in medals per capita". I said "I don't care, in fact I hate the olympics and sport full stop but the fact that we are third is brilliant" I then proceeded to sing "rule brittania".

Thankfully they are all good sports in that office

renth

I agree, whilst the types of Australians constantly slated in threads like this do exist, just like they do in the UK but they are a minority. When I see Australian Olympic athletes I see amazing young role models for my kids, not "sore losers". Look how they dealt with that arsehole Nick Darcy who got into a fight and would probably won a medal - they threw him off the team so fast his head was spinning.