My absolutely last question on medal 'tables' !?

Question

Does everyone here understand ONE thing ? Countries do not win medals ! Individuals and teams "representing" countries [ often not even their own bona fide country, sometimes a country of convenience ] win medals. End of story !!

Answer 1

Thank You!!!! I've been trying to make that point! There is no "winning" the whole Olympics. It is about the individual athletes and their accomplishments and the pride of their countries.

Answer 2

In all your whiny rants about medal tables and how the US does it wrong this is the only time you've made sense.

File that under C for curve ball.

Answer 3

A long time ago, the Olympics was held so that warring countries could show their stuff in the arena. No matter how the IOC wants to phrase it politically correctly, it has always been one for the team. Make no mistake, countries are competing against one another. Why do you think we have medal tallies?

Answer 4

Yes, and the OFFICIAL statement from the IOC is that they DO NOT rank countries.  There is a medals table given for information and reference only.

Answer 5

Yes.  But if you say that countries do not take pride in winning the gold medals or winning the most medals, you are so sadly naive.

Why do you think countries subsidize olympic programs?  Or publisize the medal tally on the news, both print, online and on air?  Or give bonuses to medal winners, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars for each medal? Or why the medal winners come home to a hero's welcome?

Answer 6

Whatever, preaching to the choir.