every day
Where is Trinidad and Tobago located?
What do we know about Jamaica and Mongolia?
Sami Al Riyami
reyami@emaratalyoum.comsamialreyami
August 04, 2021
We are not America, and we do not possess any of its human, scientific or sporting capabilities, and we are not China or any European country, we admit that, so we will never compare ourselves with them in the Olympic competitions, and we will not ask ourselves, even if just a passing question: Why did America excel or China in the Olympics, and we failed?
Why don't we win Olympic medals like them?
We will never ask ourselves this question, because the comparison here is dysfunctional, irrational, and even unjust!
But we have the right to wonder, and with great astonishment, how other countries have succeeded, that are not superior to us in anything, but are considered “dwarf” countries, as some like to call them, that do not have economic or demographic capabilities, and cannot be compared to the capabilities and position of the UAE, and with That excelled and succeeded and entered history, achieving dozens of gold, silver and bronze medals, while we, throughout our Olympic participation, and over the course of 38 years, obtained only two medals: a gold and a bronze, accompanied, and still is, a general failure in all sports!
We hear about Jamaica, that country in the Caribbean Sea, but we may not know that its population is less than three million, and its area does not exceed 11,000 square kilometers. It is ranked 93rd in the global economic ranking, with unemployment exceeding 32%. , with 20% below the poverty line, and despite that, it is an inexhaustible mine of Olympic champions, especially in short sprint races. 17 gold, 30 silver, and 20 bronze!
We hear about Ethiopia, but we may not know that the situation there indicates that it is one of the poorest African countries, and the lowest in income, where the per capita GDP does not exceed $ 200 annually, and ranks 206 at the bottom of the economic list of countries in the world. It is certain that Ethiopia has a distinguished Olympic status, in most courses, especially in races that require strength and perseverance, such as long-distance races, whether for men or women, and now it has a balance of 39 medals, between gold, silver and bronze!
Many of us have not heard of a country called Trinidad and Tobago, a country that includes two islands of the Caribbean, and forests occupy half of its area, which does not exceed five thousand square kilometers, and inhabited by about one million people, and it has a medium economy, based on tourism, and it is really surprising that Many who did not hear about this country, also did not hear that it achieved 18 Olympic medals during its participation in the Olympics, two gold, five silver, and 11 bronze!
The list goes on. There is Mongolia, which is a dry country, considered “cut off from civilization.” It has no source of income other than agriculture and livestock, and the annual income of individuals is less than $500, but that did not stop them, nor did it prevent them from collecting medals, as they achieved 24 medals. Olympic, are two gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze, and there is Hungary, which won 465 medals, and there is Zimbabwe, which is one of the poorest countries in the world, and yet it won two gold medals, four silvers, and a bronze medal!
You see, what is the excuse that makes us unable to do what countries have succeeded in doing that do not possess 10% of our financial capabilities, do not possess a quarter of what we have in sports capabilities and facilities, and cannot use international sports competencies or expertise!
Shouldn't we ask?
Is it not important and necessary that the officials of our various sports federations go to visit Jamaica, Mongolia and Ethiopia, and get to know closely the reasons for their success?
What's wrong with that?
They have visited America, Europe and China before, and we did not benefit from their visits, so what is wrong with learning from those who are less than us this time?!
twitter@samialreyami
reyami@emaratalyoum.com
To read the previous articles of the writer please click on its name.
reyami@emaratalyoum.com