Herein lies one of the most difficult aspects of Olympic sports and to redeem this process there is a regular series of international competitions so as to ensure such sports get constant and keen competition.
Take for example field hockey.
Olympics – once every 4 years
World Cup - once every 4 years – between Olympics
Champions Trophies - annual
Four Nation Tournaments – a number of these each year
Test Matches - touring teams
A similar array of competitions are framed for the sport of Diving.
- Olympics
- World Cps
- A variety of International Tournaments
- International Regional Competitions
The Australian Institute of Sport based in Canberra focus is on such Olympic sports and the quest for excellence. Every advantage is given to these young athletes, that should they not choose to play a football code or netball, they too have an opportunity to excel on the international stage.
Sports like rowing spend a good part of each year based in Italy at the specialised Australian Institute of Sport European base. The rowers compete in various European tournaments.
No Australian should begrudge any of this effort and national wisdom in giving their young elite athletes this chance to hit the international scene with the same opportunities as their European counterparts.
I've often thought of this even in the humble school athletic carnival where parents with a little better economic situation can afford to give their children track shoes, giving them not only a physical advantage but a huge psychological advantage to other children where such privileges are economically denied.
Similarly girls party dresses. One child has an opulent number, due to their parents indulgence, whereas another child has a hand-me-down to wear for the party.
It is therefore appropriate that our own young people (they could be your son or daughter, your brother or sister or your cousin or friend) find themselves missing out on a title simply because every effort wasn't provided to ensure there was a level playing field.
We are horrified when someone who comes first is later to be found a drugs cheat and the second place missed out on the Gold medal presentation and accolades. Likewise when competing against someone with a significant advantage in their preparation.
This is also the same kind of reasoning behind Bible translation evangelism into every language known to man. A level playing field for evangelism.