Rod Emmerson’s view
Several factors decide medals, funding for one
I cringe each time someone brings up the “per capita” medals table; as if population size is somehow relevant. Success at the Olympics is a function of numerous factors, including culture, genetics, geography, luck, form, injuries and even history, politics and religion.
There are obvious reasons why so few Muslim women win medals, Southeast Asian countries struggle at the Winter Olympics and Syria won’t win much this year. Similarly, there are genetic reasons why Jamaicans and African Americans do well in sprinting.
New Zealand’s colonial past explains why we do well in rugby, hockey, rowing and equestrian. Our geography contributes towards our “lungs” for the city? What nonsense. It actually forces people to live in the concentrated pollution that is inevitable in over- congested cities. The common thread in the media coverage of the poll taken by the Drug Foundation on cannabis law reform is that “the majority of New Zealanders are in favour of decriminalisation”.
The actual poll results show that for all but two questions asked, the majority of those polled voted to keep cannabis use illegal. The only two questions which showed a majority in favour of legalising cannabis userelated to the growing and personal use for pain management and for the terminally ill. success in sailing and kayaking. But the biggest factor is funding. In 1996, Great Britain won only one gold medal. They finished fourth on the table in 2008, third in 2012 and are currently second. Their population, culture, genetics, geography, history, politics and religion haven’t changed drastically; only their funding has.