America has just got double the amount of golds and almost double the amount of medals to the UK - but how much bigger is the population of the USA? I think GB has been incredible and fantastic. I also want to know why Russia is not allowed in the OLympics or in Eurovision and why Novak was not allowed to play in Australia or America and why political silliness affects sports, entertainment, music and other far more important human activities and far less nasty than killing people. I submit that 99% of humanity agrees with me and thinks Palestine should be accepted, protected and made a proper country (and aided to recovery on every aspect - not least training in sports and music for next year).

Interesting - the USA has FIVE TIMES the population of the UK and China has FOUR TIMES the population of the USA. Yet little UK is so good at sports (Olympics) and used to be in music (not any more since they eased me out).

JK2006 wrote:
Interesting - the USA has FIVE TIMES the population of the UK and China has FOUR TIMES the population of the USA. Yet little UK is so good at sports (Olympics) and used to be in music (not any more since they eased me out).

UK is very popular with elite sports, yet sports in school in the States is encourged and the programs they have can lead to scholorships and talent scouts are always in the bleachers in for football(gridiron) or basketball etc or any NCAA game.

Wrestling in schools is pretty mandatory across the North America and parts of Europe. Hardly any wrestling schools in the UK unless it's panto pro wrestling on roids.


Soccer is popular choice for girls in the States.

Australia - with a third of UK population - doing very well (better than us) but they do tend to specialise in limited fields suited by the better climate.

One of the reasons why the uk does so well in sports is because they get so much funding from the Lottery. In most countries many sports people would have to support themselves and continue to work, whearas in the uk the Elite athletics can concentrate full-time on their sport, which is a big advantage. This funding comes at the expense of money spent on sports in schoools, which is part of the reason why we also have the highest levels of obesity in the uk.

robbiex wrote:
One of the reasons why the uk does so well in sports is because they get so much funding from the Lottery. In most countries many sports people would have to support themselves and continue to work, whearas in the uk the Elite athletics can concentrate full-time on their sport, which is a big advantage. This funding comes at the expense of money spent on sports in schoools, which is part of the reason why we also have the highest levels of obesity in the uk.

Sounds about the right, the lower classes get fuck all.

Japan just moves above the UK (it has DOUBLE the population) as hosts France slip below (thanks to the wonderful Toby Roberts). But I think the table - based on GOLDS as it is - should be based on total medals. Then GB would be third, behind USA and China,not fifth.

JK2006 wrote:
Japan just moves above the UK (it has DOUBLE the population) as hosts France slip below (thanks to the wonderful Toby Roberts). But I think the table - based on GOLDS as it is - should be based on total medals. Then GB would be third, behind USA and China,not fifth.

I don't agree, Gold medals have a higher value than silver or bronzes. Also Japan have a larger population, but they tend to be smaller, and GB have people representing them whose connection with the uk is pretty tenuous(Sky Brown).