Medal Count=$$$

With the heart of the Winter Olympics about to be upon us I wanted to write a blog that had to do with the issue. After looking at the leading countries for the medal count it came to my attention that all of the countries had one thing in common, money. It is hard to differentiate the list of total medals by country to the list of total GDP. It is vital that in the winter games that the athletes have the best training. However, it is also a necessity that the athletes are given the best equipment in which to perform in. The speed skaters need the best skates that will not dull down over their long races. The downhill skiers need the best suit in order to be more aerodynamic. The hockey players need the best stick in order to get more power on their slap shot. All of this cost money in order to develop. I’m sure that the budget for the Olympic committee to develop this equipment is endless, but at what point does it become less about the athletes’ ability and more about the technological advancements of the country?
This is why I like the summer games a lot more compared to the winter. In an event such as the 100 meter dash, it doesn’t matter what type of cleats the athletes wear, the one that is the fastest is going to win the race. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt won in a World Record time, not because he had superior equipment or training, but because he was the fastest human being of all time. Also, you never seem to hear about poorer countries’ athletes ever getting banned because of the use of illegal substances. This is because their country could never develop a drug that would mask the mandatory drug tests. It makes me wonder what athletes from less fortunate countries could do if they were given the same advantages as ours. Do we really have the best athletes year after year in the Olympics or do we just have the best technology?