Olympic losers: Why is India so bad at sport?

[Gibbs]

Swimming!
@Gibbs @ahojunk Australia rocks in swimming!

Not just Swimming mate.. Aussies dominate many sports even with a relative small population (23 Mil), It's all got to do with culture and ofcause it's blessed with good weather conditions that encourage people to do out door activities

Rugby Union - WC winners - 2 times
Rugby League - WC winners - 10 times
Netball - WC winners - 11 times
Cricket - WC winners - 5 times

Swimming, Athletics, Hockey, Basketball.. You name it, We punch above the weight

Gene, efforts, and economy.

If you have money, just like those Middle East countries, buy athletes from Africa or Caribbean countries.

Not just in Athletics but in many other sports, Middle East recruit foreigners

 

[AndrewJin]

Not just Swimming mate.. Aussies dominate many sports even with a relative small population (23 Mil), It's all got to do with culture and ofcause it's blessed with good weather conditions that encourage people to do out door activities

Rugby Union - WC winners - 2 times
Rugby League - WC winners - 10 times
Netball - WC winners - 11 times
Cricket - WC winners - 5 times

Swimming, Athletics, Hockey, Basketball.. You name it, We punch above the weight

Yes, I have been to Australia, I saw stadiums and playground everywhere, though I am not a fan of those sports Australia are good at. Strategies in China should be different, we cannot promote those that require large area of land. But from my observation, Australians seem not to prefer to do much sport when they are older....Probably those sports are too tough for older people....I saw those bikeways, running lanes, etc, nearly empty in the morning or at night....We should send more people to Oz to "occupy"!

 

[jhungary]

Sport is not about gene, money or anything. It's always about passion and how is a particular sporting environment in your country, it's more about how a country develop sportsman (not with money) simply.

If Money is an issue, we would not see sport being dominated by developing or poor nation (for example Soccer - Brazil, Marathon - Ghana)

If Gene is an issue, then we should all expect African won all the medal. As a general rules African have more energy and muscle than any other race.

The general rules are, if people love that sport, they will do well in that country, say why US is so good at basketball.

Everybody love Basketball in the US, kids play 3 on 3 since 6 years of age, and the whole culture is immerse in it, it also have a good support network to play basketball in the US, you have the top tier league - the NBA, the secondary league, D-League, then you got NCAA for collage player, JV for High Schooler and Tournament for general people, you will have a support system even before government sanction training and you pick your best people from the already large pool of player, that's how you got good at sport (Basketball in this case)

Like this, you may think this is some sort of NBA, D League game, but it actually a tournament called "The Basketball Tournament" that offer 2 millions US Dollar as door price and everyone can enter.

 

[AndrewJin]

Not just in Athletics but in many other sports, Middle East recruit foreigners

US also does that.
I think it's quite unfair ,without immigrants from Caribbean countries and SSA, their team will be useless if they only recruit white.
We will never import athletes from SSA. Isn't that weird to see a player from SSA in Chinese team?

 

[Gibbs]

Yes, I have been to Australia, I saw stadiums and playground everywhere, though I am not a fan of those sports Australia are good at. Strategies in China should be different, we cannot promote those that require large area of land. But from my observation, Australians seem not to prefer to do much sport when they are older....Probably those sports are too tough for older people....I saw those bikeways, running lanes, etc, nearly empty in the morning or at night....We should send more people to Oz to "occupy"!

Lol.. To be fair it get pretty stinking hot during the middle of the day to anything outside most of the time, Usually Aussies use parks for Barbie's not exercise..

 

[Shotgunner51]

I know the team of Shanghai is outperforming other provinces especially in swimming.
I hope we can have more world-class swimmers!
Generally we were good at FINA, but we should do better in swimming!

Shanghai is doing OK but barely within top 10 among 30+ provincial teams, these days kids and youngsters do sports for health, for fun & leisure, but not for medal. Anyway I believe we still can secure 4-5 golds for China, and look forward to see your Wuhan or Hubei team doing great at Rio!

 

[AndrewJin]

Lol.. To be fair it get pretty stinking hot during the middle of the day to anything outside most of the time, Usually Aussies use parks for Barbie's not exercise..

I mean at night or in early morning.
I used to run along Swan River when I was in Perth, along Brisbane River when I was in Brisbane.
Excellent running way/bikeway (especially the bicentennial bikeway from Toowong to CBD), but what a shame! No people! I have never seen people older than 60 doing much exercises, probably indoor? Contrary to Oz, China's pensioners are crazy in sport and all kinds of outdoor activities...

 

[CBU-105]

traditionally there has just never been a great sporting or athletic culture in India, and that has meant that there has been very little to no infrastructure and no great interest at the grassroots level.

oh well.

 

[AndrewJin]

Shanghai is doing OK but barely within top 10 among 30+ provincial teams, anyway we will do our best to secure 4-5 golds for China. Look forward to see your Wuhan or Wubei team doing great at Rio!

Best luck, Team Shanghai!
Hope Team Hubei could nail more medals in gymnastics!
@Shotgunner51

 

[Gibbs]

Sport is not about gene, money or anything. It's always about passion and how is a particular sporting environment in your country, it's more about how a country develop sportsman (not with money) simply.

If Money is an issue, we would not see sport being dominated by developing or poor nation (for example Soccer - Brazil, Marathon - Ghana)

If Gene is an issue, then we should all expect African won all the medal. As a general rules African have more energy and muscle than any other race.

The general rules are, if people love that sport, they will do well in that country, say why US is so good at basketball.

Everybody love Basketball in the US, kids play 3 on 3 since 6 years of age, and the whole culture is immerse in it, it also have a good support network to play basketball in the US, you have the top tier league - the NBA, the secondary league, D-League, then you got NCAA for collage player, JV for High Schooler and Tournament for general people, you will have a support system even before government sanction training and you pick your best people from the already large pool of player, that's how you got good at sport (Basketball in this case)

Like this, you may think this is some sort of NBA, D League game, but it actually a tournament called "The Basketball Tournament" that offer 2 millions US Dollar as door price and everyone can enter.

Genetics do matter mate.. A reason you dont see Caucasians dominate certain sport and Afro/Caribbeans others but there are exceptions to that rule, But in general certain races are suited for particular activities.. For example why East African's excel in long distance running is they have a very large lung capacity due to living in a high plateau with less oxygen and travel long distances by foot, Similar reason why Black people arnt very good at Aquatic sports

But i agree there are many aspects that need to come together to make a truly sporting nation, Culture, resources, not just genes

Then there is that advantage that multi racial, Multi Ethnic nations like the US, Britain, Australia or South Africa, Brazil have over others.. And it's the same reason that Oil rich Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar import sportsperson from specific nations for specific sports to represent them in

 

[AndrewJin]

Genetics do matter mate.. A reason you dont see Caucasians dominate certain sport and Afro/Caribbeans others but there are exceptions to that rule, But in general certain races are suited for particular activities.. For example why East African's excel in long distance running is they have a very large lung capacity due to living in a high plateau with less oxygen and travel long distances by foot, Similar reason why Black people arnt very good at Aquatic sports

But i agree there are many aspects that need to come together to make a truly sporting nation, Culture, resources, not just genes

Then there is that advantage that multi racial, Multi Ethnic nations like the US, Britain, Australia or South Africa, Brazil have over others.. And it's the same reason that Oil rich Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar import sportsperson from specific nations for specific sports to represent them in

I think gene and non-gene factors are half and half.
Without gene, there will be some excellent one, but not a lot.
With gene, you can easily select the best from a large pool of potential medalists and train them.
It's very irrational (perhaps for the purpose of political correctness on race) to say genetics is not important.
I'd rather say it's a precondition, on which money and effort will make a difference.

 

[Gibbs]

I think gene and non-gene factors are half and half.
Without gene, there will be some excellent one, but not a lot.
With gene, you can easily select the best from a large pool of potential medalists and train them.
It's very irrational (perhaps for the purpose of political correctness on race) to say genetics is not important.
I'd rather say it's a precondition, on which money and effort will make a difference.

Yep i think you just explained it way better than my attempts.. Cheers

 

[jhungary]

Genetics do matter mate.. A reason you dont see Caucasians dominate certain sport and Afro/Caribbeans others but there are exceptions to that rule, But in general certain races are suited for particular activities.. For example why East African's excel in long distance running is they have a very large lung capacity due to living in a high plateau with less oxygen and travel long distances by foot, Similar reason why Black people arnt very good at Aquatic sports

But i agree there are many aspects that need to come together to make a truly sporting nation, Culture, resources, not just genes

Then there is that advantage that multi racial, Multi Ethnic nations like the US, Britain, Australia or South Africa, Brazil have over others.. And it's the same reason that Oil rich Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar import sportsperson from specific nations for specific sports to represent them in

Think you misunderstood what I said.

Genetic make up is the same across the race, there should not be any different between an Continental African or African American. Yet you will see the different potential between an African American Athlete and an African Athlete. Same goes Caucasians, Asian, South Asian and other race.

Of course, some sport is always going to favour a particular group of people, but the question is, there are 207 IOC registration nation, but only a handful of race, well, it should not affect much,.

 

[Gibbs]

Think you misunderstood what I said.

Genetic make up is the same across the race, there should not be any different between an Continental African or African American. Yet you will see the different potential between an African American Athlete and an African Athlete. Same goes Caucasians, Asian, South Asian and other race.

Oh for sure thats where the availability of resources comes in, Which inturns creates a sporting culture, That enhances those talents

Where there is more disposable income in people to spend on recreational activities like sports or make sports profession, Invariably will make better sportspeople.. In the developing world majority of the people struggle to survive than spend money on recreation

 

[Nevsky]

They are fine.Indian hockey team got picture with GOAT Novak Djokovic.