Bain said the Americans would find it hard to finish on top of the medalstable in Sydney. "My data shows that the transfer of this home-groundadvantage from USA to Australia will give the Aussies a good chance to winmost medals this summer - that is, actual medals, without any handicapping.
Germany and Russia, and perhaps China, also seem likely to be contenders for the top ranking, along with the USA." His paper argued that a disappointing showing by American athletes in Sydney had implications for the rest of the world.
"The state of a nation's morale can have an important effect on the behaviour of its government," he wrote. "A nationwide wave of embarrassment over the results at Sydney might produce some unfortunate US behaviour in theinternational arena."
He pointed to the fact that Operation Desert Storm in the Middle East, which resulted in a surge of patriotism throughout the US, came one year after the disappointing 1988 Seoul Games, where the Americans finished third in the medals count behind the Soviet Union and East Germany.
Bain blamed the failure of Americans to perform as well as they should have at Atlanta on "the deplorable physical shape" of American youth, who year by year are watching more TV, growing fatter and playing less sport.
He doubted if this trend could be turned around in the foreseeable future and argued the best short-term solution was to make it possible for more Afro-Americans, who already comprise 29 per cent of American medal-winners, more than twice their proportion of the population, to compete in more Olympic sports, including swimming, rowing and equestrian events.
"Americans can improve their medal count by granting black children and youth the same resources and opportunities as their white competitors in all sports and in life," Bain said.
Professional Management Group
Germany and Russia, and perhaps China, also seem likely to be contenders for the top ranking, along with the USA." His paper argued that a disappointing showing by American athletes in Sydney had implications for the rest of the world.
"The state of a nation's morale can have an important effect on the behaviour of its government," he wrote. "A nationwide wave of embarrassment over the results at Sydney might produce some unfortunate US behaviour in theinternational arena."
He pointed to the fact that Operation Desert Storm in the Middle East, which resulted in a surge of patriotism throughout the US, came one year after the disappointing 1988 Seoul Games, where the Americans finished third in the medals count behind the Soviet Union and East Germany.
Bain blamed the failure of Americans to perform as well as they should have at Atlanta on "the deplorable physical shape" of American youth, who year by year are watching more TV, growing fatter and playing less sport.
He doubted if this trend could be turned around in the foreseeable future and argued the best short-term solution was to make it possible for more Afro-Americans, who already comprise 29 per cent of American medal-winners, more than twice their proportion of the population, to compete in more Olympic sports, including swimming, rowing and equestrian events.
"Americans can improve their medal count by granting black children and youth the same resources and opportunities as their white competitors in all sports and in life," Bain said.
Professional Management Group
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