Paul Moore, Suffolk Park
How many losers around the world do you think are created when one person steps up onto the rostrum to accept a single gold medal?
Multiply that by the number of gold medals given at a single Olympics and I suggest it would be in the millions.
How does one believe in winners and losers and yet also believe in equality? Am I missing something here? Maybe it’s the old fake news again perpetuated by newspapers like yours.
The song for accompaniment to this little tale is The Logical Song by Supertramp.
“Am I missing something here?”
Perhaps a reason for living.
I have had the good fortune to know a handful of elite athletes, including Judy Young , the Olympic gold medalist swimmer, a woman of fine character and a hard working public servant. I also met through cycling Brandie O’Connor- another public servant – who won bronze in Glasgow.. Others had simply competed in Olympic and Commonwealth Games. All of them had a strength of purpose in what they did that reflected their character and years of training. They were all proud of what they did and none of them in any way carried any sense of being a looser.
I agree it can be problematic if our society and particularly our schools place too much importance on winning and neglect the satisfaction that we all can enjoy from much lesser physical achievement. In Canberra I cycled with a group which included a young guy who had been severely injured and could not walk unassisted more than a metre or two. Imagine his pride and enjoyment at being able ot cycle the 20kms or so around Lake Burley Griffin on his recumbent tricycle.
We can admire those who have taken physical achievement to its highest level – or like Brandie to near its highest level – but still find ample room to encourage lesser mortals to find challenges suited to our more modest abilities. In that regard I cannot of course end without a plug for the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Its 130km length when completed – will provide some great walking and riding challenges for individuals and families, for young and for all.
i would say none
Sportsman are ovepayed and overrated. We shower them in money and praise and wonder why they’re bad role models. I don’t think the aspect of making people losers is the problem.
The world was in awe of Tiger Woods winning the US Masters this year, yet all he did was hit a ball in a hole.
How many people can name the Australian that invented the Cochlear ear implant? Or the people who are developing cures for cancer or aids?
Don’t get me wrong sports are great for exercise, community, and bringing people together but the ultra elitist competitive world that sport is today revolves around egos and money.
As I get older I also find it comical how serious a grown adult can take a game. The last Rugby World cup comes to mind, how many domestic violence incidents were reported on the night Australia got knocked out?