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Secret of Olympic glory - increase public spending |
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Sunday, 24 August 2008 |
 By Jack Biantan
PinoySoccer.com
LONDON - GREAT Britain, my adopted country have just wrapped up their best Olympic success in more than a hundred years by finishing fourth in the overall medal tally behind superpowers China, USA and Russia.
Team GB ended their campaign with 19 golds, 13 silvers, 15 bronzes with a grand total of 47 medals, 17 more than their target of 30 medals before the games began.
Ironically, my motherland the Philippines ended their campaign with a scandalous clean sheet. Zero gold, nil silver, and no bronze.
There is only one reason why Team GB romped up with 19 gold medals in the Beijing games and why the Philippines finished with nothing. The power of the Sterling, which we popularly called the Pounds.
Ever since team GB finished with only one gold in the Atlanta games in 1996, the British government has made the mission to inject money to British sports so that Olympics glory would be achieved once again.
Olympic history tells us that team GB once topped the Olympics tally in 1908 here in London with a haul of 56 gold in contrast to a 36th finish in Atlanta. Of course that was during the time when Great Britain still own almost one half of the world and USA were only starting to flex their economic might. Russia and China were still in turmoil during that time.
But the British taxpayers money was not the only answer to fund the Olympic dream. Hence the government looked for other sources to fund their prolific sports program.
The Conservative government of John Major two years before the Atlanta debacle have launched the British Lottery. After the Atlanta games, the government decided to use some of the lottery money to fund sports development.
It was however, only really two years ago under Labour, that the government poured in lavish lottery money to fund the campaign of the British athletes to the Beijing games.
From 2006-2009 according to Yahoo report of Sarah Modlock, British sports would get a total of £191.89 million. If my maths are right that is P16.119 billion in Philippine money.
Rowing got £20.05 million, athletics £20.38 million, cycling £17.49 million, sailing £17.19 million, rowing £20.05 million, canoeing £10.79 million, and swimming £16.70 million. They all got the bulk of the money but other sports also got their own shares large enough make them competitive.
Believe it or not some sports which Team GB have failed to qualify like basketball and volleyball have also receive their share. Basketball got £3.99 million, and volleyball £4.04 million.
Among the sports which got large chunk of the money, only athletics had a dismal performance. Team GB completely dominated medal rich rowing, cycling, sailing, and canoeing because of this funding.
Because of this funding Team GB allowed their athletes to concentrate full time on training. Because of this funding also that they managed to get the top sports medicine doctors, coaches, trainers, acquire the best equipment and build top facilities.
In contrast, the Philippines according to newspaper reports spent $1 million only for the games. That includes the billeting, the transportation of the athletes and officials. For training, preparations and facilities? Only the Philippine Sports Commission know.
Lotto money are supposed to be used to fund Philippine sports. The Philippine Sports Commission however, have complained many times that they are always being short-changed and they always do not get the money from the Philippine Lottery which they should have deserved.
Now, Philippine sports leaders are clamouring for another sports summit to evaluate what is wrong with Philippine sports. I remember when I was still in Cebu, there was a Philippine Sports Summit organized by the PSC during the time of president Fidel Ramos. But what happened after that? Nothing. Just a waste of money.
There should be an overhaul of the Philippine sports. The Philippine Sports Commission should be abolished. It has not helped uplifting Philippine Sports to the world level which we dream of.
National Sports Associations leaders who were involved during the games but failed to deliver should also resign and give their posts to other people who could deliver.
How long have the Lopezes rule amateur boxing? And yet they managed to send only one boxer to Beijing. A lone boxer who did not have the heart and the skill to win.
In athletics, Go Teng Kok has been in charge of that sport since I was still in my pants but has he produced any world class athletes?
Team RP should follow the Team GB’s system. Team GB do not have a sports commission which just waste public money which should be deservingly go to the athletes and facilities and coaches.
Team RP should invest only in medal rich sports where our athletes have chances of winning.
Once the sports which we have great chance of winning will be identified, then we should start investing and prepare for the next Olympic games.
London is hosting the next games in 2012 and the British government have allotted more money in preparation of their athletes. Since 2006, £500 million has been set a side for British sports. Aside from the lottery money, the government have also chipped in some from the tax payers money. The private sector have also contributed.
If you calculate it, they have spent only £191.89 million and they still have roughly more than £300 million to spend before the 2012 games. With this amount allotted for the UK sports program you could imagine how many golds and other medals would team GB reap in in 2012.
As for Team RP, unless the government spend `real’ cold cash for the development of sports and get rid of non producing leaders, then we will have another Zero, Nil, and No medal harvest here in London in 2012. But of course unless, the Olympic International Committee decide to make Dance Sports and Karaoke Olympic sports. (Writing by Jack Biantan)
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