UnlikethewidelyattendedSummerOlympicstheWinterGamesarealmostacollectionofwealthyathletesandnations.InfactI’dsuggestthatthenameoftheWinterGamesbechanged.Theycouldbemoreaccuratelybrandedthe“TheEuropeanandNorthAmericanExpensiveSportsFestival.”
Untilasrecentlyas1994fewerthanathirdoftheplanet’scountriestookpart.ThisyearinTurinItalyonly43percentoftheworld’stotalcountries.Ethiopiaanationof73millionwillsenditsfirst“team”toaWinterOlympicsthisyear–asingleskier.
Asalwaysthebiggestteamsandthebigwinnerswillcomefromafamiliarpool.Inthehistoryofthewintercompetitiondatingfromitsbeginningin1924competitorsfromonlysixcountries—includingNorwaytheUnitedStatesAustriaandFinlandhavewonalmosttwo-thirdsofallthemedalsawarded.Bycontrasttheall-timelistofsummerwinnersislonganddeepextendingtoathletesfrom143countries.
It’snotjustthepresenceorabsenceofsnowandicethatdeterminesWinterOlympicssuccessorevenparticipation(参与).IfitweresomeofAmerica’sbesticeskatersandspeedskaterswouldn’tliveandtraininSouthernCaliforniaorFlorida.IfitwereathletesfromcountrieslikePeruChileNepalMoroccoAfghanistanandEthiopia–allwithsnow-coveredmountains—wouldbefightingforthemedals.
Insteadthemoretellingfactorsareeconomic.Would-beWinterOlympiansneedyearsoftrainingcoachingandcompetition.Mostnationseventhosewithplentyofsnowandcoldsimplycan’taffordtheequipment.
UnliketheWinterGamestheSummerOlympicslevelmanyoftheadvantagesofnationalwealthaswellasfavorablegeographyandclimate.AthletesfromthepoorestAfricanandCaribbeannationshavedevelopedintosomeoftheworld’sgreatestathleteswithlittlecost.
BaronPierredeCoubertinthefonderofthemodernOlympicsrecognizedsomeoftheglobalsportingunfairnessmorethanacenturyago.DeCoubertinobjectedtothecreationofaseparateWinterOlympicsformanyyearsdismissingwintersportsin1921as“theplayoftherich.”
66.WecaninferthatathletesintheWinterOlympicsmainlycomefrom____________.
A.SouthAmericaandNorthEurope B.NorwayandAmerica
C.NorwayFin