With India’s population, it surprises many that India is not a force at the Olympics.
With India’s population, it surprises many that India is not a force at the Olympics. R.J. Elliott wonders the same in a comment in Aaman’s recent article:
I've always found it a bit baffling that India, with over one billion citizens, doesn't seem to have much success in either the Winter OR the Summer Olympics...and that they don't seem to have many (any?) nationals playing at the professional level in the US in any of the four major American sports. Surely there is a 7-foot 6-inch Indian fellow out there who would like to make millions playing in the NBA. Or a 35-pound [sic] Indian who would make a good offensive lineman in the NFL. But where are they?
Winter Olympics…
Article comments
26 - Ramalingeshwar
Proud to be an INDIAN.
I believe past is past.
Change is inevitable .... if we ensure the next generation is given a chance, which was hemmed in by our parents, then trust me we will see the change ... given it in any field...
Give a chance and Believe in yourself ...
27 - Dr Dreadful
Interesting how this old thread was revived thanks to the triumph of Bindra in the air rifle competition.
In my home country of Britain this perplexing question is played out in microcosm. There's an ongoing debate about why there are so few professional football (soccer) players of South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan - usually referred to simply as Asian in the UK) origin. I believe there are a grand total of three right now, only one of whom - Michael Chopra - plays in the Premier League.
It's accepted that Asians can play at the highest level in cricket - witness Nasser Hussain and Monty Panesar, among others - so it might be thought, as some other commenters have suggested, that there's a cultural bias toward cricket and against any other sports. But football is just as popular among young Asians as any other segment of the population: there are organized Asian teams and even leagues.
Racism is only part of the answer - there remains resistance among professional clubs to signing Asian players, largely because of the perception that they are physically not as strong as other 'races' - but black players overcame the barrier of prejudice decades ago and hundreds of them now ply their trade at the professional level.
I think that even in Britain, where some Asian families have lived for three or even four generations, the answer is largely cultural, and that - perhaps wisely - parents still encourage their children to pursue academic success, which is lasting, over athletic glory, which is as fleeting as youth.
28 - Vishnu Sharma
Change should come from above with the establishment of an independent non-political, non-casteist organization which nurtures and hones talent.
Also It should come from sponsors.
If every company in India wants to sponsor only cricketers. There lies the big fault.
We need to setup something like NBA in India and pump big money into it.
That will take care of Basket Ball.
Next we need to setup
NRA, NEA, NFA, NSA and so on
National Rowing Association.
National Equestrian Association
National Fencing Association
National Sailing Association
National Rifle Association
National Wrestling Association.
And have fierce competitions on a monthly basis
with lot of sponsorships and 1 million dollar prizes.
Gradually we should build up our talent pool in various sports.
We really need to really turn this around.
BOTTOM LINE IS WE NEED TO STOP TREATING CRICKETERS
LIKE GODS And CRICKET AS THE ONLY SPORT WORTH WATCHING.
29 - UFC FIGHTER
VEGETARIAN = STRONGEST, FASTEST, MOST BRILLIANT OLYMPIANS:
9-time Olympic Gold medalist Carl Lewis - Vegetarian.
NBA star & Olympic Gold medalist Spencer Haywood - Vegetarian
Four-time Olympic Gold medalist in discus Al Oerter - Vegetarian
Emil Robert Voigt Olympic Gold medalist - running - Vegetarian
Keith Holmes (middle weight boxing champion) - Vegetarian
Phoebe Mills (Olympic medal winning gymnast) - Vegetarian
Murray Rose - whopping 14 olympic medals! - Vegetarian.
And voted the best athlete of the 20th century voted by TIME MAGAZINE, named Paavo Nurmi, won 9 Olympic gold and 3 silver medals, and set 20 world records. - Vegetarian!
Sniff it, Ty. And take your sophistry back into your hole.
MEAT is implanted with steroids and female hormones, such as progesterone, the female pregnancy hormone, esp in North America, USA, and Canada.
And whoever the bozo was that pooped in with the protein comment, plants contain more and better protein than meat. Meat is a sour source of protein. The meat-protein thing is propaganda perpetuated by the meat industry and belongs in the toilet along with catching aids from toilet seats and touching a frog is the cause of warts, and elvis appeared in the laundromat. What is more muscular? You, or a Silverback gorilla? Hm? A Gorilla could whip you around like a ragdoll, they weigh over 800 pounds, and guess what they eat... fruit. And that steak you eat? That you think you need, that you think has so much protein? What made that meat? Hmm? How was that meat that you think has so much protein in it generated? Well? From a cow. Which eats what? --plants! An entire 2 thousand pound mass of muscular bad-news if you get near it called a BULL that could buck you into the next century, got that muscular from plants. So ditch the false protein myth. In fact you don't even need soy. Bodybuilders DO NOT EAT RED MEAT. Think about it. Even bodybuilders avoid eating meat. You don't go to a bodybuilding store and buy a protein bar that is a piece of pork. Or a tub of bodybuilding protein mix made out of ground up pieces of beef do you? No. Do you go to the gym and quench your thirst with a cod-flavored fish drink? No. Albert Beckles (go look at a picture of him) is one of the most-decorated winning bodybuilders of all time who competed with Arnold, and he was a vegetarian. His vegetarian Lat-spread was so huge and muscular that it would dwarf yours. The toughest, roughest, hardest, muscle ever is built from plant protein. The largest most-muscular land animal that walks the earth today, reaching a weight of over 20 tons, the elephant, is vegetarian.
Now Go type "RALGRO meat" into Google and see what comes up. If you eat meat, you have been eating female hormones, this can cause meat eating men to have maldeveloped testicles, pubic abnormalities, it can cause boys to develop gynecomastia which is female saggy breast tissue, paunches, obesity, and if women eat meat, then it can cause premature onset of menstruation, heavy periods, and breast cancer.
Go type these into Google along with the word MEAT, and you will learn what you've been ingesting, especially Americans:
SYNOVEX, RALGRO, trenbolone, Revalor-s, estradiol, zeranol, and melengestrol.
Trenbolone is an anabolic steroid, present in SYNOVEX, which livestock farmers, cattle farmers inject into cows. You eat the meat from that, and therefore you have this in your tissues right now if you are not a vegetarian.
What this also means is that this could be a factor as to why so many meat-eating athletes test positive for steroids. If you eat meat, and you've grown up doing it, especially while your genital organs were developing, then these banned substances have been affecting your genital development for all your life. The problem is, the hormones and subsances injected into meat are often the FEMALE hormones. This means it is not enhancing you if you are a man, it is emasculating you. Meat-eaters, ingesting female hormones, progesterone, estrogen, etc, are bathed in feminizing hormones and this is why meat-eaters become more effeminate.
And this is why the most-decorated 9-time gold medal winner in the olympic games, is...vegetarian.
30 - STM
Shane Warne, Aussie spin-bowling cricket legend = lover of baked beans in tomato sauce. A great source of energy, and he's obviously never forgot what his mum told him when she was making him eat his beans on toast before cricket practise :)
When he goes to India to play, he gets them flown in from Oz and virtually lives on them - a near-vegetarian diet.
You wouldn't want to be billeted in the same room as Warnie, especially in those hotels where you can't open the windows, but anyway ...
Obviously, Beanz Meanz Wicketz.
31 - Andy Marsh
I just looked at the medal count...it appears that India has in fact won a gold medal in this Olympics. The ten meter bb gun competition...I didn't know shooting a bb gun was an olympic sport!
32 - Dr Dreadful
UFC Fighter (on his computer, probably):
I was watching a 'Day in the Life of Michael Phelps' vignette on the NBC's Olympics coverage last night. He was saying that his dietician makes him eat 8,000 to 10,000 calories a day, just to have enough energy to do all that swimming (he spends up to five hours a day in the water).
They showed him tucking into a pile of pastrami and cheese sandwiches at his local deli, and then went over a mind-boggling rundown of burgers, steaks, omelettes, pizzas, French toast and other artery-clogging items as part of his daily fare.
So I'm thinking that Michael Phelps - 9-time (and counting) Olympic gold medallist - probably the greatest swimmer of all time - is definitely not a vegetarian.
33 - UFC FIGHTER
Truthman betrays his own name and needs to change his name to Garbage-Man. Everything he posted is trash...
The mis-named "TruthMan" writes: "Indians are just physically weaker than other races and biologically not as good ... there isn't ONE Indian-American athlete of any quality"
You're not TruthMan, your name from now on should be "PrejudicedMan".
"Now tell me an Indian-American that is a world champion(or close) in any sport???"
-Truthman
Witness the facts below and Stop your ethnic hate speech, and also spewing it under the false name TruthMan when the actual truth is, you are a racial propagandist.
Tell you 1 indian world-class athlete, sure, be glad to!...
ACCOMPLISHED INDIAN WORLD CHAMPION ATHLETES & GOLD SILVER & BRONZE MEDAL WINNING OLYMPIANS FROM INDIA:
Anju Bobby George (Women's Long Jump)
Anju Bobby George made history when she cleared 6.70 m and won the bronze medal in Long Jump at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics in Paris. She went on to win the silver medal at the IAAF World Athletics Final in 2005 as well.
Vikas Gowda (Men’s Discus Throw)
Indian born US-citizen Vikas Gowda grew up in Frederick, Maryland in the United States. Vikas will be participating in his second Olympics and was in the qualifying round in the 2004 Athens Olympics. His father Shive coached the 1988 Indian Olympic Track Team. Vikas is a student of the celebrated North Carolina University, which has produced some the biggest names in sporting history like Michael Jordan.
Renjith Maheswary (Men’s Triple Jump)
Triple jumper Renjith Maheswary broke India's oldest National record of 16.79m set by Mohinder Singh Gill way back in 1971. He leapt a golden distance of 17.04 metres in the 2007 Asian Grand Prix series in Guwahati, which remains his personal best. Renjith even bested his Guwahati mark by leaping a distance of 17.19 metres claiming the gold at the Asian athletics championships in Amman, but it wasn't counted as a national record since that jump was wind-aided. Renjith finished fourth at the Doha Asian Games and won the 2007 Asian Championships.
Surendra Singh (Men’s 10,000 m) Surendra Singh made the Beijing Olympics cut in great style after clocking an incredible 28:02.89 for the 10,000 metres in the Spanish Olympic trials at Vigo, Spain. He also bettered his own previous national record of 28:22.79 set at Watford, England.
Krishna Poonia (Women’s Discus Throw)
India's national discus champion Krishna Poonia sealed her Beijing berth after logging a distance of 59.04 metres, crossing the Olympic qualification mark of 59.0 metres, at the Mount SAC Relays in Walnut, California in April 2008. Poonia claimed Doha Asian Games bronze after logging a distance of 61.53, which remains her personal best so far.
Harwant Kaur (Women’s Discus Throw)
India's promising discus thrower Harwant Kaur sealed the Beijing berth with a last-round throw of 61.09 metres in the 2008 National inter-State athletics championships at Madurai. Harwant is the second Indian qualifier in discus after Krishna Poonia since both meted out the 61-metre qualifying standard. Harwant touched the 'A' qualifying standard in her last effort.
JJ Shobha (Women’s Heptathlon)
JJ Shobha earned the right to participate at the Beijing Olympics by achieving the qualification standard in heptathlon event with a commendable performance in the 48th National inter-state athletics championships. Shobha totalled 6043 points to win the heptathlon gold. She went past the Olympic 'A' standard of 6000 points. Shobha had braved a serious knee injury in the Athens Olympics, where she scored 6172 points.
G Pramila (Women’s Heptathlon)
Pramila qualified for Olympic Games by securing 'A' standard in the National Jumps and Combined Events. Jharkhand's Pramila came up with a brilliant performance to aggregate 6078 points which is above 'A' qualifying mark of 6000 points.This will be the second Olympic Games for Pramila, who has also participated in the 2000 Sydney Games. The Beijing qualification was certainly great for Pramila, as the 30-year-old had missed out on the Athens Olympics berth by just three points.
Sushmita Singha Roy (Women's Heptathlon)
Heptathlete Sushmita Singha Roy made it to the Beijing Olympics by bettering 'A' standard in the National Jumps and Combined Events. Bengal's Sushmita Singha Roy secured 6027 points which is more than 'A' qualifying mark of 6000 points.
Preeja Sreedharan (Women’s 10,000m)
India's ace long-distance runner Preeja Sreedharan attained the qualifying norms for the Beijing Games after finishing runner-up in the 10,000m run of the 2008 British Miles Club Elite Grand Prix in London. Preeja also won a silver medal in women's 10000m race in the Asian Athletics Championship Amman. Preeja achieved a rare treble in the long distance events at the 33rd National Games as she won both the Mile and the 10,000m race within a span of two and 1/2 hours by clocking modest 4:38.38 and 36:09.30 respectively. The South Asian Games champion pocketed her third gold medal on the concluding day by winning the 5000m with timing of 17:01.79.
Manjit Kaur (Women’s 400m)
National record holder Manjit Kaur attained Olympic qualification in Yalta she got injured during Madurai Nationals but still she will run her heart out at the Beijing Games. Manjit bagged gold in the women's 4 x 400m relay and 400m silver medal at the 2006 Doha Asian Games. She also won silver at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. She also participated at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Indian women's relay team - Mandeep Kaur, Chitra Soman, Sini Jose, MR Poovamma, S Geeta and K Mridula (Women’s 4x400 m Relay Team) Indian women's 4x400m relay team, comprising Chitra Soman, Sini Jose, MR Poovamma, Mandeep Kaur, S Geeta and K Mridula, booked their ticket for Beijing Olympics after securing IAAF rankings. The Indian team’s rankings rise is due to their fine show in the second Asian Grand Prix at Korat in Thailand
There's more than 1. And that's just a start!
34 - AB
I think Indians are a bit afraid of their rivals(be it anyone) in sports and also tend to get nervous when the reality is drawn on them. look at Saina Nehwal. She is out of Badmintoon bacuse she got nervous or else we would have a silver atleast and would have made to 25th rank...hope so...
35 - Selvan
Indians, by their very nature are weak and un-disciplined people. It is not just a simple case of genetics, as the Chinese have shown in being successful in so many sports or codes. If the government is serious abt changing the so called 'Indian' image of being spineless and weak, then they need to change the mindset of the people (much like Stalin and Mao did).Less focus on Bollywood and cricket and more on strength and discipline in a wide range of sports.
36 - sans
India is a cricket craze nation that feeds on high fat potatoes
india in olympics,guys no one appreciates anyones talent
its really sad india is not a fore runner in olympics or any other sports even wid such a population!!!
37 - sara
Indians does not have stamina to compete with other foreigners . For the Indians to attain medals, the government and the athletes should work together . Government of India and states should give the players all support for them to succeed.
38 - Om Sharma
Sorry but even I have to admit that when it comes to the Olympics, the motto for India is slower, lower, weaker.
39 - JH
I view Indian Olympic underachievement mainly as Indian government underperformance, not of Indian people issue.
I am Chinese living in US. I send my 2 kids to sport clubs and I think sports experience for teenage is extremely important to build up a person's health as well as character.
I grew up in China and Chinese in gerenal are crazy on sports, as crazy as Americans on sports. There are lots of pride in intra or inter shool level football/basketball track and field etc competitions. This is not that much different from Americans where sports club and sports competition are everywhere.
For Indians to win lots of medals in Olympic, I think it won't be real issue in the future if Indian government has the will to invest into sport infrastructure, and encourage the sports. The problem is not the people or genetics etc, the main issue is government investment into infrastructure and social incentive.
People tend to view sports much bigger than it really is. But sports is indeed reflection of competitive nature of a society and average wealth level of society. Top ranked countries in Olympic table are all extremely competitive countries.
40 - JH
I now live in US and within near distance of my house, all kinds of facilities are within distance. It is so easy to try tennis, or go swimming.
Back decade ago when I was in Chinese University, we were in Q and fighting hard to get into a tennis court. The sport infrastructure in China was very poor and still is poor compared to US. China did well this time mainly due to government elite focused infrastructure and $ spending plus huge population of talent pool. US does well because of high income level and easy access to sport infrasture. There is no magic in Olympic gold medals.
From my reading here, I think Indian's sport infrastructure is severely lacking. This is not surprising as I read recently that 36 km driving from Banglore to airport would take 4 hours. Indian government is doing poorly on highway infrastructure right now. That said, road infrastructure is much more important than sport infrastructure.
Having said that, spending on sport infrastructure and winning medal should be a lot easier than building infrastructure of roads, bridges, etc.
If Indian government has the will to improve medal from now on, Indian can host Olympic in 20 years and win lots of medals in 2028. Asia now has 3 countries that hosted Olympic, India should be the 4th.
41 - rajbir
india cant produce player of good caliber because all the federation are run by govt.& only one game is run by private body that is cricket.& also in india people play just to get job.