Madam, - Seán McDonald (August 23rd) attributes Ireland's perceived lack of success at the Olympics to the dominance of GAA sports, but I'm not convinced that's a valid conclusion.
Australia, another country with a relatively small population and an obsession with its own unique form of football, has yet again been one of the most successful countries at this Olympics. Of the sports in which Australia has won medals, only swimming is in the top 10 in terms of numbers participating. Twenty-one medals were won in what can only be described as minority sports in Australia.
Similarly, the most popular sports in Britain have contributed nothing to the exceptional British medal haul at this Olympics. There is clearly more to this than the numbers participating and I suggest that the biggest factor is money. It is the huge investment in facilities and expertise that has enabled the British and Australians to punch well above their weight at Olympic level.
Incidentally, Ireland finished 62nd in the medals table. As there were over 200 countries participating, and when ranked by population Ireland comes 118th, that's not too bad really.
- Yours, etc,
PAT DIGNAM, Marcus Beach, Queensland, Australia.
Madam, - Tom Humphries's dismissal of the Irish competitors - apart from boxers - in Beijing as mediocre, with "slow runners, dodgy horses and bickering officials", badly lacks perspective.
How did other parts of the world compare with Ireland over the past two weeks? Well, Belgium with its 10 million population, won two medals, one of them gold. Finland, with a 5 million population and a strong athletics tradition, won four medals, one gold. Austria (population 8 million) has three medals, none gold. Greece, where it all started, with a population of 11 million, won four medals, none gold; Croatia (4.5 million) won five medals, none gold. Sweden (9 million) won five medals, none gold. Portugal (10.5 million) won two medals, one gold.
Even South Africa, with its 47 million population, won only one medal (silver), while Argentina with a 40 million population, won six medals, two of them gold. India (population 1.1 billion) won three medals, one of them gold.
Why do commentators such as Mr Humphries seem to have an unreal expectation that Ireland should end up in the final stages of every major sporting event, whether it be the Olympics or the world cups of rugby, soccer, athletics - or even tiddlywinks? A good dose of reality is needed in some sections of the Irish sports media.
- Yours, etc,
LOUIS POWER, Killiney, Co Dublin.