Home > How They See Us > Archives > 2008 > August > 25
Monday, August 25, 2008
Does American count in the Olympics medal count?
The headline says it all: America Refuses To Accept Defeat In Olympic Medal Count.
For days newspaper reporters around the world have been yammering on about how the United States is the only nation in the world that ranks countries based on total number of medals — and not on total number of gold medals.
On Monday the London Times newspaper said that the recent Olympics were sensational, with China celebrating its ultimate aim of heading the Olympic medals table for the first time. Indeed everyone was celebrating — except those in America, where people believe that Team USA remains the main force in world sport.
The paper said: “The race for the Olympic title is measured in medals, it just depends on which medals you consult. The IOC issues its league table based on the number of golds won, which gives China the honors, but then admits that there is no official system in place to decide who is top dog. So the American public is reading tables counting the total number of medals, including silver and bronze, won at the Games. On that measure, the U.S. keep the whip hand over the home nation.”
However, the paper said that there’s no denying that the Olympics belonged to China in every sense. In Beijing, China contested almost every event and, even where they could not win medals, showed signs that they will be a formidable force in London in 2012. Like Australia, who sank from fourth in Athens to sixth in Beijing on the IOC medals table, the U.S. will have to accept that the rest of the world is catching up fast and that they will not be able to flex their sporting muscles for much longer.
The paper said: “The U.S. may feign ignorance, but there is a new Olympic order led by China, whichever league table you read.”