Why are some countries so overrepresented the Olympics while others are so underrepresented?

[Anonymous]

Most privileged answer ever.
Many of these countries don’t have the facilities or coaching for these high level
Athletes to train, not to mention the credentialed associations.

Aside from that, do you know that athletes must pay their own way, or have adequate sponsorship/ a supporting organization to pay their way?

Also, winning on the world stage only matters if you have the opportunity to gain financially from it. Sports aren’t a feasible financial future for most people, unless they are willing to put it all on the line.

[Anonymous]

The United States did not send a handball team to the Olympics.

Do you know of any handball clubs in the DMV? Any schools offer it as a varsity sport? Do your kids play it in PE or on the playground? Do you have a handball court near your house?

There is actually a club in the DMV, but kids choose other sports instead like soccer, baseball, basketball, swim, gymnastics, etc.

[Anonymous]

The money explanation doesn't make sense. Brazil has 277 athletes and it isn't a rich country. India has plenty of middle class and rich people.

And even Latin American teams have plenty of women participating. Not sure who thinks it is only men playing soccer. Mexico has women participating in the following Olympic sports: boxing, kayaking, cycling, diving, gymnastics, golf, judo, pentathlon, rowing, sailing, table tennis, tae-kwon-do, triathlon, and weight lifting .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The money explanation doesn't make sense. Brazil has 277 athletes and it isn't a rich country. India has plenty of middle class and rich people.

And even Latin American teams have plenty of women participating. Not sure who thinks it is only men playing soccer. Mexico has women participating in the following Olympic sports: boxing, kayaking, cycling, diving, gymnastics, golf, judo, pentathlon, rowing, sailing, table tennis, tae-kwon-do, triathlon, and weight lifting .

It also just depends culture of each country and how much they value sports, and are able to do the kind of training it takes to compete in the Olympics.

[Anonymous]

You should run the numbers of non-impoverished population of each country vs delegation size, before looking for outliers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The money explanation doesn't make sense. Brazil has 277 athletes and it isn't a rich country. India has plenty of middle class and rich people.

And even Latin American teams have plenty of women participating. Not sure who thinks it is only men playing soccer. Mexico has women participating in the following Olympic sports: boxing, kayaking, cycling, diving, gymnastics, golf, judo, pentathlon, rowing, sailing, table tennis, tae-kwon-do, triathlon, and weight lifting .

Brazil is 4x as rich as India, per capita. Most of India is dirt, dirt poor. Median income $300/yr

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The United States did not send a handball team to the Olympics.

Do you know of any handball clubs in the DMV? Any schools offer it as a varsity sport? Do your kids play it in PE or on the playground? Do you have a handball court near your house?

There is actually a club in the DMV, but kids choose other sports instead like soccer, baseball, basketball, swim, gymnastics, etc.

Barcroft community center in Arlington has a handball court and it's PACKED with people and they have tournaments. It's fun to watch but it's all Latino middle age men playing

[Anonymous]

Well, in India, people just don't place that importance on sports. Most middle/upper middle class people aren't willing to put in the time commitment equivalent of travel sports in the US, so you just aren't going to see that many elite athletes. For better or worse, they are putting that time into extra tutoring or other academic endeavors. It is only recently that people started placing importance on physical activity at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, in India, people just don't place that importance on sports. Most middle/upper middle class people aren't willing to put in the time commitment equivalent of travel sports in the US, so you just aren't going to see that many elite athletes. For better or worse, they are putting that time into extra tutoring or other academic endeavors. It is only recently that people started placing importance on physical activity at all.

Exactly. I can’t comment on other countries but in India it comes down to culture and then facilities. Majority MC and UMC parents put a tremendous emphasis on education, leaving no room for anything else. Sports are just not encouraged. Secondly, it comes down to facilities and coaching, money is needed for those things.

As most of the money was drained by the British, they are slowly getting back on their feet and it’s showing. Although, even when money will be available I am not sure how many kids will opt for sports, it’s a conservative culture

[Anonymous]

Many athletes from around the world, esp women, train in the U.S.

[Anonymous]

Availability of facilities, disposable income, spare time, etc. Some countries have bigger fish to fry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The money explanation doesn't make sense. Brazil has 277 athletes and it isn't a rich country. India has plenty of middle class and rich people.

And even Latin American teams have plenty of women participating. Not sure who thinks it is only men playing soccer. Mexico has women participating in the following Olympic sports: boxing, kayaking, cycling, diving, gymnastics, golf, judo, pentathlon, rowing, sailing, table tennis, tae-kwon-do, triathlon, and weight lifting .

Saudi Arabia has tons of money. And people.

But only 10 athlete in the Olympics.

Only 2 of the 10 are women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The money explanation doesn't make sense. Brazil has 277 athletes and it isn't a rich country. India has plenty of middle class and rich people.

And even Latin American teams have plenty of women participating. Not sure who thinks it is only men playing soccer. Mexico has women participating in the following Olympic sports: boxing, kayaking, cycling, diving, gymnastics, golf, judo, pentathlon, rowing, sailing, table tennis, tae-kwon-do, triathlon, and weight lifting .

Saudi Arabia has tons of money. And people.

But only 10 athlete in the Olympics.

Only 2 of the 10 are women.

This has already been answered. Read the thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The money explanation doesn't make sense. Brazil has 277 athletes and it isn't a rich country. India has plenty of middle class and rich people.

And even Latin American teams have plenty of women participating. Not sure who thinks it is only men playing soccer. Mexico has women participating in the following Olympic sports: boxing, kayaking, cycling, diving, gymnastics, golf, judo, pentathlon, rowing, sailing, table tennis, tae-kwon-do, triathlon, and weight lifting .

Saudi Arabia has tons of money. And people.

But only 10 athlete in the Olympics.

Only 2 of the 10 are women.

Ask Saudi Arabia we don't know what can we say? There isn't some grand conspiracy to keep them out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, in India, people just don't place that importance on sports. Most middle/upper middle class people aren't willing to put in the time commitment equivalent of travel sports in the US, so you just aren't going to see that many elite athletes. For better or worse, they are putting that time into extra tutoring or other academic endeavors. It is only recently that people started placing importance on physical activity at all.

Unless it's cricket. And the Summer Olympics isn't long enough to finish a game of cricket.