Aftermath of Beijing Olympics

If China does not apply to host the Olympics, they say that the European and American countries are rich and strong and they apply regularly, whereas poor China can only watch from the sidelines.

If China applies to host the Olympics but loses out, they say that China should be embarrassed for applying when it is unqualified.

If China applies to host the Olympics and wins the bid, they say that China should be embarrassed for expending its national resources on an image project.

If the opening ceremony in China is not good, they say that the director is lousy and the Chinese people are of poor quality.

If the opening ceremony in China turns out to be good, they say that billions of dollars were wasted.

If China runs the Olympics frugally, they say that the Chinese government is embarrassing the nation in front of the world by running the Olympics when it cannot afford to.

If China runs the Olympics lavishly, they say that the Chinese government is wasting taxpayers' money on the Olympics.

If we don't understand the opening ceremony in a foreign country, they say that we don't understand other people's culture.
If we understand the opening ceremony in a foreign country, they say that the foreign culture is just too grand and unversal.
If foreigners don't understand the opening ceremony in China, they say that we are uncultured.
If foreigners understand the opening ceremony in China, they say that it must have been too shallow and superficial.

Before the Olympics, they say that China won't get a lot of gold medals because the Chinese athletes are inferior to the Europeans and Americans.
If China gets too few gold medals, they say that China is a weak sports nation with frail people, whereas the Europeans and Americans have fine people who win plenty of gold.
If China gets too many gold medals, they say that it is due to a distorted system of sports administration and it does not prove that China or its people are strong.

If foreign athletes game the rules, they say that it is smartness.
If foreign athletes do not game the rules, they say that it is strength.
If Chinese athletes game the rules, they say that China is sly.
If Chinese athletes do not game the rules, they say that China is very stupid.

If a foreign nation wins many medals in a sport, they say that the foreign athletes are gifted and strong.
If China wins many medals in a story, they say that this is against the spirit of the games and the sports ought to be eliminated from the Olympics.

If a foreign nation does not administer/manage sports, they say that developed countries do not do that.
If China does not administer/manage sports, they say that China is backwards for not doing that.

If foreign athletes pay for their own training, they say that this shows the sporting spirit without spending taxpayers' money.
If Chinese athletes pay for their own training, they say that China does not value sports.

If a foreign nation wins only one gold medal, they say that it is just a gold medal which does not really matter.
If China wins only one gold medal, they ask how can China win only one gold when it has a population of 1.3 billion?

If a foreign athlete makes a basic mistake, they say that the spirit of sports is about participation and losers can still enjoy the Olympics.
If a Chinese athlete makes a basic mistake, they say that the pressure was too big and Chinese athletes are not mentally ready.

If a foreign athlete cries after winning a medal, they say that this is a genuine expression of the Olympic spirit.
If a Chinese athlete cries after winning a medal, they say that it is the result of the over-emphasis on winning medals.

If the foreign athlete is a university student, they say that this is an amateur as distinct from the professional Chinese athletes.
If a Chinese athlete is a university student, they say that someone should not be allowed to attend university because of sporting talents.

If a foreign athlete makes a TV ad, they say that this is a commercial activity which funds the training.
If a Chinese athlete makes a TV ad, they wonder how can any good results be achieved when money is the most important factor?

If China wins too few gold medals, they say that China is not good enough.
If China wins too many gold medals, they say wonder what gold medals are good for and they want the money to be given to socially vulnerable groups.
If China wins too many gold medals, they say that the ranking should be based upon the total number of all medals because that is the true reflection of the sporting level.
If China leads in count of total medals, they say that the ranking should be based upon the number of medals per capital because that is the true reflection of sporting level among the people.
If China leads in number of medals per capital, they say that China has a national sports system and therefore China should be embarrassed to compare itself against amateur athletes.

In the end, China got the most number of gold medals. They say, "What good is that to me? I am not getting a pay raise or a new house as a result."

You just cannot please everyone.

Related post - Confusing Olympics Medal Standing
(the above 'IFs' was extracted from ESWN)
Tags: Beijing Olympics, China, Olympics, Chinese Athlete