I wish these Chinese girls and boys good luck, but the truth should not be hidden.
NIDDERAU, GERMANY: I enjoyed reading the article “Who is winning medals in London, and why?” (August 2) by Kamal Munir. I believe that one of the major reasons why the Chinese are winning so many medals in the Olympics is that its sports central committee sends boys and girls to special training camps, which are funded by the government. Children are sent to these training schools, not because someone thought it would make them happy and well-rounded individuals, but because the people in charge thought it was more important for their country to win medals than for their people to be free. In my opinion, rather than believing that winning medals makes their country proud, they believe that not winning medals was something that might shame their country. The same attitude was held by the communist regimes of East Germany and the USSR, and hence their dominance of the medals table. Where are the medals for the former East Germany and the USSR now?
I wish these Chinese girls and boys good luck, but the truth should not be hidden. I have seen girls crying in London when they did not win. Why? Not necessarily because success is sweet but because there is the fear of reprimand and persecution in case of failure. Nevertheless, I confess that I still enjoy watching these athletes in action.
Sharif Lone
Published in The Express Tribune, August 4th, 2012.
