Olympic Athletes- Win At Any Cost

[Sofa King]

So. She's a gold medalist, but has no family life. Obviously this board will be pro-family, but my question to you is.... Is this the future of the Olympics? Will countries like China begin to dominate all the Olympic events? How much of this goes on in other countries like the US?

[the Talking Can]

vacation pics

[Amnorix]

China is notorious for this craziness. I don't even care how many Olympic medals they get compared to us -- they're basically a totalitarian state subjugating the needs of the individuals to the all-consuming need to win medals. It's completely crazy.

Not that US families/individuals don't make huge sacrifices, but what China does is simply nuts.

I'm sure there's others, like North Korea and the old Iraqi regime (Saddam's son, Uday, I think, was in charge) who basically mentally or physically abuse their athletes to improve their Olympic chances. Talk about undermining what the Olympics are supposed to be about...

[Sofa King]

I'm putting this here as well because it's cool.

[headsnap]

ah, the youth with no memory of the Cold War...

[Aries Walker]

On the other hand, this is the first time that every participating nation has at least one female representative. Even Saudi Arabia and Qatar had women in the Olympics this year. That's a big friggin' deal.

[Rasputin]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/02/sport/...x.html?npt=NP1

Chinese badminton team ousted for trying to "fix" the rankings by losing matches on purpose.

[Aries Walker]

That may have been the low point of these Olympics. A South Korean team and an Indonesian team got the boot too.

Ah, I see the Chinese player is now saying that they were injured, and the official story is that they did it. Their story a few days ago was that they were just playing poorly, and their official story was that they didn't do it. I see.

[ghak99]

It's no secret China places very little value on a human life, and even less value on the finer things involved in the lives of their subjects. Their athletic program is just one of the many ways China abuses its population for the "greater good".

When you're working in horrible conditions for $1.25 and a bowl of rice a day it makes your child being chosen to live in an isolated athletic training camp with proper nutrition and things you could never give them look like a pretty sweet deal. With hundreds of kids waiting to take her place the minute her performance starts to dip, there is no way in hell her parents are going to volunteer information that could lead to her being pulled from competition and potentially placed back into the workforce.

US athletes push themselves because they want to win, Chinese athletes are pushed to win because losing has serious consequences.

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by ghak99

It's no secret China places very little value on a human life, and even less value on the finer things involved in the lives of their subjects. Their athletic program is just one of the many ways China abuses its population for the "greater good".

When you're working in horrible conditions for $1.25 and a bowl of rice a day it makes your child being chosen to live in an isolated athletic training camp with proper nutrition and things you could never give them look like a pretty sweet deal. With hundreds of kids waiting to take her place the minute her performance starts to dip, there is no way in hell her parents are going to volunteer information that could lead to her being pulled from competition and potentially placed back into the workforce.

US athletes push themselves because they want to win, Chinese athletes are pushed to win because losing has serious consequences.

You seem to know a lot about the Chinese Athletes.

May i ask where you gained this knowledge?

[ghak99]

Originally Posted by Hulk Hogan

You seem to know a lot about the Chinese Athletes.

May i ask where you gained this knowledge?

I wouldn't say that.

A business associate, an engineer, who travels into the country to implement product quality control procedures and inspect company owned machines brings back interesting information and random observations on every trip. When allowed, his private conversations with the actual workers is depressingly eye opening while his conversations with the management class are full of fluff and rainbows.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

China is notorious for this craziness. I don't even care how many Olympic medals they get compared to us -- they're basically a totalitarian state subjugating the needs of the individuals to the all-consuming need to win medals. It's completely crazy.

Not that US families/individuals don't make huge sacrifices, but what China does is simply nuts.

I'm sure there's others, like North Korea and the old Iraqi regime (Saddam's son, Uday, I think, was in charge) who basically mentally or physically abuse their athletes to improve their Olympic chances. Talk about undermining what the Olympics are supposed to be about...

There it is. Soviet Union used to be the same way. Their athletes are basically pros, plucked when young, denied a normal childhood, school life or family life.

Flip side of the coin is the 400 meter gold medalist from the Dominican Republic last night, Felix Sanchez, who ran the race with a picture of his deceased grandma tucked underneath his number on his shirt then got it out after he won and kissed it. Touching. Olympic spirit.

[whoman69]

Seven Camaroon athletes have gone illegal, disappearing soon after making it to London. There are just so many embarassments with these games.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by whoman69

Seven Camaroon athletes have gone illegal, disappearing soon after making it to London. There are just so many embarassments with these games.

I wouldn't be an Olympics without some defections. Another thing the Soviet Union used to be reliable for.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by whoman69

Seven Camaroon athletes have gone illegal, disappearing soon after making it to London. There are just so many embarassments with these games.

The country has an unemployment rate of 60%. The guys are looking for work. Nothing embarrassing there.