Difference between U.S. and foreign countries' Olympic medal ranking?

Question

U.S. goes by TOTAL number of medals instead of by the number of Gold medals, while most other countries even the European countries are going by Golds in their medal ranking. By total, US is at the top. By Golds, China is at the top.

Why does U.S. not go by the number of Golds? Is it because U.S. has to be on the top?

I notice my American friends saying that people employed at opening ceremony were salve laborers, and China is clearly cheating by putting 8 year old girls in Olympics. They expect China will continue cheating.

Answer 1

One Gold medal is worth 50 or more bronze or silver medals. This is just a method to put America 1st. Second and third place finishers are lucky to get a medal at all.

Answer 2

The rest of the world use what is called a TALLY of the medals to rank countries. This is because there are 3 categories of medals.

In a tally you rank by most important (gold), then you rank by second (silver) and then by third (bronze). The medal tally does not just count the gold medals.

The USA on the other hand don't seem to be able to handle complex ideas and so they just count all the medals. Perhaps because of their bigger is better thing, they can't seem to understand that quality is more important than quantity.

Answer 3

omg agreeed!!!

lmfao @ daniel!!!

Answer 4

That's a simple question!

Usa delegation: 1500 athletes

Some small countries (Example:only 50 athletes in Beijing) can dispute the first place on Rank Medals if the 50 athletes win the gold medal!

After all, there isn't any athlete in Beijing, that go there wanting to win Silver or Bronze medal. Everyone wants the Gold because is for it that athletes train all their lifes. Gold medal is the final objective for all athletes... Gold medal that real counts!

Obviously, with 1500 athletes usa will have more medals at the final of Olympics, but remember: quantity is not QUALITY!

Usa have to accept, that IS NOT MORE THE NUMBER ONE IN OLYMPIC WORLD!

Answer 5

oh god not this question again! this question is now worse then the china gymnastic cheating question

Answer 6

America uses the statistics anyway they can to be number one they can't be seen losing to anyone especially the Chinese.  

Answer 7

Because American only like to win so we put us in whatever way to rank ourselves to be #1.

Your American friends are ignorant losers who spread lies.  You should get a new American friend.

Answer 8

Simple appeasement

but trust me

everybody here knows it is all about the Gold

Answer 9

For whatever reason, the U.S. has always done it that way -- whether it helps or hurts it in the standings. The Associated Press does it both ways, one for the U.S., one for the world.

I kind of like having all the medals figure in. Seems a little less elitist.