Self-serving or otherwise, this is a glimpse of how the Chinese see themselves when represented by their sports persons. Global Times poll based on 1,7000 random respondents across 15 municipalities and provinces on the London Olympic Games found over 67% of respondents indicating ’the overall impression of the London Games couldn’t compete with the Games held four years ago in Beijing.’ 85% ‘still believed that amassing gold medals is a sign of the progress of national power.’
It will be interesting to find out what the responses of the 33% who thought otherwise are like. Despite the controversies highlighted such as doping allegations and ‘engineered’ disqualifications the Chinese got their best ever overseas haul of gold medals .
“The 2012 London Olympic Games witnessed the best overseas record of a Chinese delegation mainly by the standard of the number of gold medals… But the most important thing we learn from the London Games is the public’s opinions toward gold medals have shifted and the public care more about athletes well-being rather than just winning competitions,” Ren Hai, professor at Beijing Sport University.
A sampling from the comments section:
I would LOVE Global Times to do a feature on how much Chinese taxpayers spend on their Olympic athletes versus other countries. Because I know the US gov doesn’t spend anything on their team. That a good investment, you think? (andao)
Sour- grape Mainlanders. If they don’t want to join the Olympics they should pull out- again. Just like they did from 1956- 1984 (Matt Ryan)
I find it hard to believe that 85% of Chinese feel the Olympics are prejudiced against them. A majority might be disappointed with not topping the medals chart. But 85% is a huge majority to believe a conspiracy theory unless they were all being fed this biased idea from the start…. And there’s no statistic to back up the statement in the first paragraph that most Chinese are “enraged.” That’s a strong word…. I wish China could just be happy with its great performance, and accept its achievements without being bitter, self-pitying, or blaming others. (Hong Konger)
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Beijing was better: survey
by Liu Linlin
Source – Global Times, published August 14, 2012
Although the opening of the London Olympics wowed many Chinese viewers who marveled at the creative human touch and partying spirit, a Global Times poll at the end of the London event showed the majority still favored the Beijing Olympics, apparently enraged at the way some Chinese athletes were treated during the Games.
Over 67 percent of respondents said the overall impression of the London Games couldn’t compete with the Games held four years ago in Beijing, according to a survey conducted by the Global Poll Center released on Monday.
While criticism over China’s so-called State-run competitive sports system soared during the London event, the poll showed that over 84 percent of Chinese still believed that amassing gold medals is a sign of the progress of national power. Read the rest of this entry »
Filed under: Beijing Consensus, Beijing OIympics, Charm Offensive, Chinese Model, Culture, Education, Influence, International Relations, Mapping Feelings, Omy, Peaceful Development, Public Diplomacy, Social, Soft Power, The Chinese Identity, The construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese identities, U.S., China's Rise, International Relations, Olympics, Propaganda, Public Diplomacy, U.S.
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