SCMP.com - Media slams obsession with gold medals

SCMP reports: “Mainland media turned on the nation’s state-run sports system in the aftermath of the match-throwing scandal at the London Olympics that saw star badminton players Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli disqualified.

 

“Many commentaries blamed a fixation on accumulating Olympic gold as the cause for the players’ performance on Wednesday during the women’s doubles competition.”

 

“In yesterday’s Oriental Morning Post, prominent commentator Liu Hongbo said sports authorities were so anxious for gold they had no problem sacrificing deeper values. He drew a comparison with how the government pursued economic growth no matter the cost to public health or the environment.

 

“In a commentary titled ‘Medals mania and GDP worship’, Liu said the only goal under the national sports system was for athletes to bring home gold.

 

“‘Athletes have been separated from their families and the real world. They are kept in the dark even if their family members are in critical condition or have died,’ Liu said.”

 

“Liu continued: ‘Losing a match will be called ‘humiliating’. Winning silver will be commonly described as ‘failure to achieve gold’.”

via SCMP.com – Media slams obsession with gold medals.

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