Swimming to glory
Photo: AFP
The whole set up of modern Olympics is such that only rich nations can hope to win anything of significance, because the preparations, training, sponsorship and proper facilities require enormous expenses. The ancient Olympic ideal of involving only the athletic field events and individual competitors have given way to multifarious team events on land, water, ice, etc, and recently some strange events like synchronising swimming, diving have joined the list. Bangladesh is a riverine country and swimming is natural to it. However, talented natural swimmers have no proper facilities for training . I suggest rich clubs which have swimming pools take up sponsorship for training of young swimmers in their areas for this purpose, and perhaps Bangladesh will win something. I also suggest that the OIC introduces "rickshaw pulling over various distances in fine weather and in wind and rain" to give poor countries like Bangladesh a chance to win medals. All OIC events should be based on non-expensive equipment and technology to keep up with the Olympic ideals.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments