I agree with the poster below. Indians as a race are just not that strong or have enough stamina to end up in the top 3 positions in any Olympic event. A population of a billion and not winning a single individual gold ever in our history is just ridiculous. Even if you consider there's a conspiracy to sabotage Indians from getting a gold for some reason, there would still be someone out there somewhere who is atleast the best at what he/she does. But that's apparently not the case. Also look at the sports we have performed relatively better...cricket,chess,snooker,golf etc. all are more mental more than physical games. I think it's not exactly correct to blame the system,government,lack of facilities as countries which have no stadiums,which are dirt poor in Africa have won many gold medals. I think the blame solely lies on us - the people of India with our clearly weaker strength and stamina. Also the conservative attitude of Indian middle class parents who want their kids only to be doctors/engineers and dont want to take a risk choosing a career in sports is another reason why we dont have enough world class sports persons etc. But let's hope this Olympics is different and Indians finally manage to open their medal tally.
RE:Olympic machismo: The tale the medals tell
by sandeep das on Aug 05, 2008 04:01 PM Permalink
Dead on Manjula. We Indians are a people who have not yet got the best place to show off our skills. How about international KHO KHO? We can beat the shit out of everyone else (Haha). But seriously if we are doing badly only because we live in India how come all the guys and girls who have emigrated so many centuries ago to all parts of the globe have also not been able to win an award? What does that prove? Only that we are not cut out for a lot of stuff just as we are cut out for a lot of other stuff. But if you want to gnash your teeth and wail we are good at that too. That should count for something. Best gnashers of teeth and wailers.
There are major factors hindering Indian sports to shine in Internationa level. First and foremost is the lack of infrastructure at the grassroot level, i.e. even in the remotest village. Second is lack of security (in respect of self and family) for sportsperson who want to achieve something. There could be 100s of hidden champs in our remotest village, but do they slog for survival or concentrate on sports. Third is lack of sponsorship and glamour. Fourth is politics and finally it is lack of dying passion to perform and achieve something for self and for the nation. It is a pity to see that sports is still considered waste of time and given secondary treatement by parents, school and Govt. Forget academies, there are hardly any proper ground available at every nook and corner where children who have passion for sports want to practise. Whatever little is available is taken away by builders or is a prohibited place or is a neglected place by the Government. How come we are dreaming of achieving something at international level.
RE:Many factors alluding India's sports field to shine in international level
by Kunal Bhatia on Aug 05, 2008 12:49 PM Permalink
There is no security for sportsmen in countries like Kenya, Ethopia, Iran, Algeria, Morocco, Serbia, Croatia even to a large extent Jamaica and other Caribbean countries nor is there anything like a world class infrastructure but they yet put up a show at the Olympics. We Indians always need an excuse to justify being losers.
RE:Many factors alluding India's sports field to shine in international level
by Vinayak on Aug 05, 2008 01:01 PM Permalink
But the Governments/Sponsors/General Public there do give them psycological support atleast(if not monetary). In india hypochrites like you will skip work and watch Cricket Matches but will not bother to watch other sports. Stop the hypochrisy first.
A lot of commentators here think that Chinese's excellency in sports is because they take drugs. How pathetic? Indian weight lifting team used drugs and was caught but even they used drugs they still can not get a gold medal. How pathetic was that? Then you guys say that Chinese can get a lot of gold medals because they are communists, our india is a democracy. It just make me laughing. I have never seen a nation with so many pathetic loosers. Now I understand that why india is so weak. Because you have a large weak populations. Remember this, a govt dose not make a country stonger but people in the country will decide that country's fate.
RE:Indian tried and failed
by john thomas on Aug 05, 2008 12:33 PM Permalink
How much is the Chinese government paying you to be a troll on Rediff bulletin boards? I have gone through all your posts on the boards, and you have nothing but pure hatred for India. You have no credibility, because you are a Chinese agent looking to provoke Indians with your hate.
RE:Indian tried and failed
by David Dak on Aug 05, 2008 04:26 PM Permalink
john thomas, your name does not sound to be a indian but you are still qualified as one of the loosers.
I wonder how could some one say this. Habits make character, Character makes destiny. You cant compare Indian food habits with chinese. Only Rich Indians eat healthy food, That too people who live only in 6 developed states. In other states a majority of rich donot know what is healthy lifestyle. DO YOU THINK INDIA WILL GET LOT OF MEDALS IF YOU ENCOURAGE SELECTED 100 PEOPLE, NUTURE THE SELECTED 100 PEOPLE WITH SPORTS ACADEMICS, AND LEAVE THE REST WITH EXISTING 'MASALA LIFESTYLE' ? Lifestyle of citizens counts a lot. Check the number of people getting below basic nutrition in India & China. This is directly propotional to the medals achieved so far. Do they give steroids to all childrens as a part of basic nutrition ? If you take the poor & lowest level citizens, the habbit of eating in hands & eating in chopsticks makes a huge difference in their lifestyle. Will Indians change their lifestyle ? Till then Indians are physically weak.
RE:'' It is not that Indians are physically weak ''
by Manjula A on Aug 05, 2008 12:15 PM Permalink
Stupid Doomsayer! You'll be proved wrong very soon.
We need Dalmiya type of people in every sport..who give a damm to culture of losing and only concerned about profit and professionalism which can only come when u forces the plares to win.. and than buy them BIG GIFTS of sponsorships.... or ELSE LETS STIO DISCUSSING ABOUT STATE OF SPORTS IN INDIA AND INSTEAD CHEER THE FAMILIES OF SPORTS FEDERATION WHO HAVE GONE ON A PAID HOLIDAY TO BEIJING... OR BEST WILL BE TO CHEER OFR SPORTS AND SPORTSMEN ...BE IT FROM ANY COUNTRY.. ATLEAST WE WILL SEE SOME GOOD GAME..
I completely buy the point of Kes Som...out of our sheer frustation of losing in every aspect of sports... and political and social system.. any tinge or sign of indianness in any successful person makes us to jump it to claim it to be ourss.. look at the way we brust in jubliation and with media going crazy just becos presidential candidate Obama had some locket of lord Hanuman with him...or for the matter.. if we look at all our old movies we have always shown all those who left the country as traitors of country and culture..but today we are dying to get their notice and their dollars and pounds to nurture our country...
On cricket... its a shame the man who changed the course of the game and made it Cricket the way see it today is Dalmiya...but we never leave any chance to make his life a hell...
Similarly is the case with KPS Gill..who thrases out militancy from punjab....but now screwed up in number of so called human rights cases by the families of militantz.. waht a tradegy... moreover... the very player of hoceky just refuses to win... and gill is made the scapegoat... waht about thiss Kalmadi... the most useless head of olympic federation... or say priayranjan das munshi..who is at helm of affair of football federation for ages.... or many his fellow collegues..
This is what my beloved nation is....
SOLUTION....
We need Dalmiya type of people in every sport..who give a damm to culture of losing and only concerned about profit and profess
