Should Britain be setting out to ‘own the podium’ at the London Olympics in two years’ time? I mean — we can’t own it every single event, can we? The last time I looked we weren’t exactly overblessed with weightlifters, and we might have to question our chances in Greco-Roman wrestling. I wouldn’t back us to do too well at water-polo, and as for handball, well…
The ‘own the podium’ concept was what brought Canada a record 14 gold medals at the Winter Games that have just ended in Vancouver. If you want a successful Games, went the logic, you have to have the locals behind it, and what the locals want is home success. So you spend what it takes to make sure that happens. Am I alone in finding this a slightly depressing development?
It strikes me as rather bullying behaviour, or at the very least unhostlike — and that modest, civilised Canada should be behind it is perhaps the most surprising thing of all.
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