Opinion
Israel obsessed with Olympic medals
Raanan Shaked
Published: 10.08.12, 14:09
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
114 Talkbacks for this article
1. RAANAN SHAKED : THANK YOU
TEL EM STRAIGHT ,   SAFED OPERA HOUSE   (08.10.12)
It is .of course ,nice to win medals at the olympics ,but it is not the be all and end all . Israel has more important priorities ,and not just Israel . However , my guess is to win medals a a country needs many more top atheles and they need to train more seriously . With the situation in Syria and instability in Sinai ,we have other things to be concerned about.
2. A REALITY CHECK ,WITH RESPECT
DA RAP ARTIST ,   SAFED OPERA HOUSE   (08.10.12)
Israels athletes were nowhere near good enough to win anything at the Olympics.They are probably part-time amateurs who do not train seriously enough compared to other countries who win medals. I might be a little harsh .In addition ,winning is a numbers game.If the number of israeli athletes at the olympics were ten times greater ,we would stand a much better and stronger chance,there simply aren't enough of them there in London .
3. This is the israel we were supposed to fear competting with?
Arash ,   Tehran-Iran   (08.10.12)
So far, not even one single israeli medal...where as, we have so far, got 9 medals in total, 4 being gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze. Where's israel in all of this? is this the israel our athletes were supposed to fear?? I double dare Ynet to publish this talkback. Your nothing but a big joke!
4. I agree with the writer
chava ,   yerushalayim   (08.10.12)
Okay, no medals. Big deal. Like the author says, there are things that are much much more important to invest our money in. And as a response to #3, who is from Iran. Congratulations on Iran's medals. I don't remember hearing a congratulations from Iran to Israel when an Israeli won a Nobel Prize for math or science.
5. the country doesn't revolve around economy & welfare
zionist forever   (08.10.12)
There is a time for talking about the economy, welfare and lots of other things and there is a time trivial things like the olympics. We already hear enough about welfare and the economy at the weekly Saturday night social justice parties in Tel Aviv. Is there a law that says politicians must concentrate on important matters 24/7? The olympics happens once every 4 years and its a global event so why shouldn't politicians take a little time out for a photo op or for us to have discussions on why we did so badly? All countries who took part in the olympics weather they won medals do spend time having their pictures taken and discussing it all, even countries like Greece which is bankrupt take time out from the doom and gloom to talk about the olympics so give it a rest.
6. Israel olymbics medals
Harold ,   USA   (08.10.12)
Israel gained NADA medals and Iran gained 9 medals but Israeli newspapers published many articles about a US Jewish gold medalist who was trained in the United States and represented the United States. These articles iare the same as a bold headed girls always discribes and talks bout her sister's hair.
7. # 3
Philip ,   Afula Israel   (08.10.12)
Well actually we do rather well in the mental Olympics and regularly win Nobel prizes.You should be able to work this out and hopefully get the message.
8. # 3
Philip . ,   Afula Israel   (08.10.12)
Iran has one (1) Nobel Prize, Israel has 10. Your population is about 10 times that of ours, so to be comparable to Israel in this sphere you should have about 100 of these prizes, you dont, so that something seems to be missing doesnt it.
9. so don't send athletes
sue ,   jerusalem   (08.10.12)
10. #3
Jared ,   Canada   (08.10.12)
they're all in the army getting ready to scope your "athletes" and keep them from ever coming back to the olympics a great thing in my eyes...stop building a bomb and worry about your own internal affairs yes?
11. to #4
kelly ,   toronto   (08.10.12)
Please name the last Israeli to win a Nobel prize in math. (Hint: there is no Noble prize in math.) But, of course, you are the smartest...
12. That's okay
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (08.10.12)
Tiny Israel brings home tons of medals in academic competitions. Isn't that far more important?
13. To: No. 3
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (08.10.12)
How many Nobel laureates has Iran produced? Hey, how are Iran's computer networks doing? Will the Olympic medals help you with that balagan?
14. 3
zionist forever   (08.10.12)
Israel is a small country with a population of 7.5 million. It does not invest billions of dollars in sport like they do in many western countries so you add together lack of investment and population size even one medal is a big deal. For countries unless they get at least ten golds its been a bad olympics.
15. author is typical jewish jerk
alex   (08.10.12)
Sport is equaly important to security. Wefare is for loosers and people of Israel dont need them.
16. Priorities
(08.10.12)
Kudos to the author and yes take a Nobel prize in science over a sports medal any day. But also remember how low on the list the nation ranks in terms of income gaps between haves and have nots and realize Israel wins no prizes for social fairness. As one great Rabbi once taught we remember Amalek not only because they attacked us out but because we did not care for our stragglers and left them vulnerable.
17. #8
Harold ,   USA   (08.10.12)
Try not to change the subject. #3 is commenting about the Olympics and not Nobel Prizes. Wake-up
18. Pride and shame
Tomi ,   Hungary Budapest   (08.10.12)
The story is more complex. Olimpic Games have become PR activity. Were the Soviet Union, German Democratic Republic and their friends succesful with their plenty of medals? They invested in sports mostly for the Olimpics, while their people frequently lived desperate lifes. Hungary has won in London a lot of medals,while tens of thosands from their children go hungry to school. So does it worth to support national pride by investing in medal search? You can be pride if you provide dignity and human life for everyone in your society. Or at least you try it...Ask children with empty stomach about national pride...
19. Not a financial question.
Istvan ,   BUDAPEST HUNGARY   (08.10.12)
Hungarian jewish competitors won 6 gold medals in the1936 the Berlin games.Of them 4 in induvidual disciplines. ( Kabos, Kárpáti. Elek, Csák ) I think they were not motivated by money. But please ask Keleti Ágnes, who lives currently in Israel and won 8 olimpic gold medals alone.
20. To: No. 17
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (08.10.12)
No, the issue is performance in international competitions. No one outperforms the Jewish people in the Nobel Laureate events. So put that in your smoke and pipe it!
21. Olympics
Leonard ,   Green River, U.S.A.   (08.10.12)
I agree with the writer in so far as sending athletes to international events. However the country is in serious need of a comprehensive sports program as part of a good health program for our youth who are becoming so obese that their future health is in serious jepordy.
22. Until recently israelis were saying that iranian
Peter ,   Vienna-Austria   (08.10.12)
Athletes were incompetent to face them and that they would lose and bla bla bla...Well look what have we here. Israeli athletes can't even get a bronze, let alone fight the iranians on the sports field.... LOL
23. # 17
Eaglebeak ,   Left Coast, USA   (08.10.12)
# 8 is lending this some perspective as the medals seem to have gone to # 3's head. Which do you think is more important, brains or athletic ability?
24. #14
Harold ,   USA   (08.10.12)
Many countries that have much less population that Israel won medals. e.g Kuwait won a bronz medal. I feel most of the Israelis whose ages are 18years and above have damaged mussles due to serving the the IDF.
25. Many countries with a larger team
Arlene ,   Israel   (08.10.12)
did not make the podium. Why kill the moral of our sportsmen and women. They did good against the worlds best and those that have a lot more backing than we will ever afford. We have hight tech and nobel prizes, everyone using internet uses Israeli inventions..including that Iranian idiot #3 and his fellow countrymen. Israel can be proud of many acheivements and we should welcome home Team Israel and thank them for representing us.
26. olympics
elona ,   u.s   (08.10.12)
yes we do need medals,its also shameful that Israel has no equestrian team. help train my daughter she wants to ride for Israel. every Israeli and Jew should be happy for every Israeli or Jewish athlete thats even joins the games,but to win shows the world we are here. one medal is a medal for all of us. respect for us.
27. Mr. Shaked, what's with that mean death-stare?
Jake   (08.10.12)
Where did you learn that? In the Casbah of Nablus?
28. More important things
Taxpayer ,   Hod Hasharon   (08.11.12)
There are far more important things - we should be spending billions sending people to Yeshivat "Ochlei Hina" to study the minutae of the practices in the temple so that one day they will attack El Acksa, build a temple and start WW3. We need public housing so that thousands of Dirot hamisha Haredim are available for the public. We have to satisfy the need o the anti-zionists who want to destroy our country and turn it inot a Medinat Halacha orSha'aria tohave more children so as to become the majority and drive our children away from the countrry that is far more worth while.
29. Maybe they were scared
Miche Norman ,   Hod Hasharon   (08.11.12)
The thought of Limir Livnat, who famously won a gold medal for jumping on the bandwagon in Athens, rushing up tokiss me would pretty much scare me off winning a medal
30. To Sarah B
Philip K ,   Wexford, ireland   (08.11.12)
'No one outperforms the Jewish people in the Nobel Laureate events' Garbage. Israel has won only 10 Nobel laureates. A similar score to that of Ireland. Germany has won 102 laureates. Are you saying these were all won by jewish people? I dont think so. And many other countries have far out performed Israel in the Nobel laureates stakes. I agree with you that academics are important but so too is athletic ability and physical prowess. Israel seems to be bereft of any sporting ability. And in my opinion to say that sports are unimportant is only denial in the face of sporting inadequacy. The question Im asking is why Israel, a self proclaimed modern and advanced country, with a population of 8 million people have performed so dismally at the Olympic games and won not even one bronze medal. Shameful. Perhaps nobody in Israel plays sports. But then why send a team to the Olympics??? To put things into perspective- Ireland is a nation with half the population of Israel (4 million people) but Ireland has won 5 medals at the games. Not bad.
Next talkbacks
Back to article