Keith Suter (2010) said, “The games are a showcase of a country’s ability. Communist countries used the Games as a way of showing the ‘superiority’ of the communist way of life and therefore put a great deal of funding and training into preparing athletes”(pp. 333-334). It is kind of true, even though it doesn’t sound good for a student who comes from a communist society. Developed countries use the Olympics for profile, such as commercial, television rights, and tourism; while developing countries use the Olympics to show themselves.
On one hand, as Chinese, we are so proud of ourselves to hold such a big international event successfully, and the result was good. On the other hand, China may put too much money and energy on one “Game”. Like Keith (2010) said, sport can show a country’s ability, but do we want to replace the US in sport as well as economics? I hardly think so.
First, America and China have different sports systems. In the US, athletes pay for coaches or other related staffs, training ground, and nutrition. But in China, the government will pay all these bills and even pay salary to the athletes. Athletes in China believe that the sport is their career for their whole lives. An American who has a normal job in daily life may also be an athlete in the Olympic Games. After the 2008 Olympic Games, China began to change our sport system to be like developed countries. Therefore, as a beginner, China has a long way to go. If China changes their sports system to be like the US, it will be impossible to gain such achievement like 2008 for the following the Olympic Games.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I had no idea that the government in China pays athletes and coaches versus here where fans pay the athletes. It is very true that US Olympic Athletes have other jobs that they go to everyday and compete in a sport in their extra time. I did not know that being an Olympic Athlete in China meant that that was their only, full-time job.
ReplyDeleteThe more I read your blogs, the more I become interested in knowing more about China and seeing the differences between the two countries. Nice Job Yu, and keep these interesting blogs coming!!
Yu, interesting comparison between US and China sport economics. 08/08/08 must have been truly a special day in Chinese society, when it proved to the world that it could host the Olympic games.
ReplyDeleteHowever, you raise interesting point about whether it was truly worth it. China seems to be a country with 2 nations. A growing wealthier urban country and incredibly poor rural nation. Would it have been better for China to have spent money on its own country rather than the Olympics?
I am glad that you shared this information as well, Yu. While it might seem that the U.S. has an ideal system in some ways, I learned that many U.S. athletes are supported by corporate sponsors who provide them with flexible jobs that enable the athletes to train for their sports. For example, the Home Depot is probably the biggest corporate employer of U.S. Olympic athletes, as indicated by this website: http://corporate.homedepot.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/c1/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDdwNHH0sfE3M3AzMPJ8MATxcDKADKR2LKmxrD5fHr9vPIz03VL8iNKAcAjsi5Sg!!/dl2/d1/L0lDU0lKSWdrbUNTUS9JUFJBQUlpQ2dBek15cXpHWUEhIS9ZQkpKMU5BMU5JNTAtNUY2OXchIS83XzBHMEFMOUw0N0YwNkhCMVBJMTIwMDAwMDAwL1Azcl9fMTI2L25vcm1hbA!!/?PC_7_0G0AL9L47F06HB1PI120000000_theUrl=CYPT%3Azgu.lqbO_znetbeC_garzlbyczR_pvczlyB%2FfgarztneS%2FznetbeC_garzlbyczR_pvczlyB%2FfcvufebfabcF_fgebcF%2FfabvgnpvahzzbP_rgnebcebP%2FrgnebcebP%2FFH_ar%2Fzbp.gbcrqrzbu.rgnebcebp%2F%2F%3Acggu&PC_7_0G0AL9L47F06HB1PI120000000_extUrl=CYPT%3Azgu.lqbO_znetbeC_garzlbyczR_pvczlyB%2FfgarztneS%2FznetbeC_garzlbyczR_pvczlyB%2FfcvufebfabcF_fgebcF%2FfabvgnpvahzzbP_rgnebcebP%2FrgnebcebP%2FFH_ar%2Fzbp.gbcrqrzbu.rgnebcebp%2F%2F%3Acggu
ReplyDeleteYu,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing that. It is interesting to hear the types of things that China gives up, or rather passes over, to fund the Olympics. I feel like the U.S. has done the same thing many times before. We spend a lot of money on things that do not seem necessary and do not put it towards things that could really use the money. I did not realize that the economy in China was so far behind the U.S. I have always thought that they were equal if not ahead of us.
Sports seem to be one platform for many developed countries where they can showcase their citizens. Technology is difficult because it can be developed in the U.S. by a Russian scientist, or in Japan by a Chinese doctor. In sports, people are so proud to play in the Olympics for their country and showcase who they are and what they represent. When one wins an Olympic medal, it is as if the entire country has won that same medal. I wonder if this success is what drives countries to spend so much money on hosting an Olympic Games.