Millhouse

maybe for the same reason you are not an Olympian?

Also very small populations.

Boomhauer

I am 1 person ; are all GCC citizens just like me, seems rather unlikely.

Small countries like Jamaica have got several medals in Track and Field . Recently there have been a few news articles wondering why India with its huge population has a dearth of medals ; but in India's case you have a large malnourished population and underdeveloped sporting culture except for cricket and field hockey. I suppose the vast majority of GCC locals don't care enough about athletics/sports??

NorthernLad

An interesting article from the BBC on funding for Team GB and changes in funding and medal success.

"When Adam Peaty powered to the finish line in his record-breaking 100m breaststroke, it was the result of a big investment by UK Sport.
Although spotted as a potential star at the age of 14, Peaty at first relied on fund-raising parties, organised by friends and neighbours, to pay for his travel to national competitions."

Rio 2016: Does John Major deserve credit for Team GB's success? - BBC News

scrubbedexpat141

I think the numbers for the UK funding were equivalent to everyone in the country giving £1.06 to the Olympic funding.

I think the numbers I read for India were 0.06 INR per person (£0.00068).

Some simple calculations according to 2013 population figures means the UK spent a handful short of £68m and India spent £851,000.

Lightandbitter

So we ended up 1 short of a medal a million then

captainflack

Oh, don't go there. Because then you'll find Britain, way way way down behind Grenada, New Zealand, Denmark and a bunch of other countries including Chinese Taipei (which is really Taiwan, but they're not allowed to be a country so have to compete under an olympic flag).

I for one am happy with being only about 60% as good as America, because being 30% worse than Bahrain... is unthinkable.

captainflack

They also bang people up for drugs. You'll never get olympic success like that.

Millhouse

So... here is a thing that bothers me...

I'm quite sure Bolt is on drugs. How can he always do so well and smash records with such poor starts all the time? Objectively, pretty much every sprinter gets tainted by them eventually. So why not him?

So... how are these guys doing it, they are all being tested. Assuming no bribes and backhanders, what is it? Drug technology must have over taken the testers again for a bit.

The brit cycling team must have an advantage too, but how? I don't think its a mass drug taking campaign in the team but have we read something in the rules that others have missed?

I struggle to believe that you can simply throw money at facilities and produce medals. As others have said, we have brilliant facilities here in the UAE, yet no medals... When I do to the gym, I see very fit emitatis who have all the time in the world to train.

IKnowNothing

Lance Armstrong was tested all the time, but he used to get a full blood transfusion before he was tested.....

co durham boy

I was listening to some of the lads at the Tri Club talking about Chris Froome . The guys stats are nothing short of a machine , that's where the so called hate comes from within the sport.

The margins in cycling are minor but Froome just blows the whole thing apart.

scrubbedexpat141

I know, shame really. 99p per person has a better ring to it....

I like to, and try to, see the best in athletes. World records are there to be broken by improvements in training, diet, all the add ons (I think female (maybe male too) Brit cyclists are told to leave their lady gardens bushy for some reason etc).

I'm not naive though so some at the Olympics must be on magic beans but I also respect the amount of work and effort that goes in and people like Chris Froome are just (not 'just' but you know what I mean) the front man to a phenomenal team on the road and in support. Sky have bankrolled a mega team there, for example.

Bolt. Could just be a freak of nature.

captainflack

It's really hard to say. It does seem unfair to tarnish everyone, but in events that are primarily physical performance rather than skill (e.g. rowing, running, weightlifting, swimming, cycling as opposed to tennis, golf, hockey, football, etc.) it's clear that drugs provide a real benefit that justifies the risk, and that many high profile cheats have gone for years undetected. History tends to suggest the cheats are always ahead of the tests.

Like Radio One DJs, there probably are a couple of top athletes who're innocent, but I'm pretty sure Noel Edmonds and Mike Read flinch everytime the doorbell rings.

scrubbedexpat141

On drugs in the Olympics and sport as a whole (strictly performance enhancing, not the fun ones) what do people think of the bans?

Lifetime immediately? Might put more people off?
Gatlin - banned twice...surely he shouldn't be near an Olympic stadium?

iggle

Mo was probably on drugs

co durham boy

khat