With the Paris Olympics just around the corner, the Chinese Communist Party has sent a massive sports delegation to Paris. However, discussions on the internet in China are heating up with the topic of “Gold Medals Are Useless.” Netizens are expressing that “no matter how many gold medals are won, it cannot change the overcrowded hospitals,” and that “issues such as food safety, education, employment, healthcare, and elderly care are all more important than gold medals.”
On Friday, July 26, 2024, the Paris Olympics will officially kick off. Athletes from around the world are flocking to Paris. According to reports from China’s state television CCTV, the Chinese delegation consists of a total of 716 members, including 405 athletes, with 136 male athletes and 269 female athletes.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, who will attend the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, appeared at the Olympic Village on Thursday, July 25, to meet with Chinese athletes and deliver a message on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping.
In recent days, Chinese netizens have been actively discussing the “uselessness of gold medals,” stating that the tremendous amount of money spent by the Chinese authorities in accumulating gold medals holds no value.
For a long time, the Chinese Communist Party has relied on a “whole-nation system” to host sports events, investing significant national resources and funds to cultivate athletes capable of winning gold medals, giving them an unparalleled advantage over most amateur athletes from other countries. The Chinese government has used the accumulation of gold medals to boast about its governing achievements, creating a facade of prosperity.
However, with the current downturn in the Chinese economy, increasing business closures, and high unemployment rates, Chinese netizens are criticizing the Chinese Communist Party for using “gold medals” as a cover-up for the actual problems faced by the people. Discussions on the social platform “Pincong” about the “uselessness of gold medals” are overwhelming.
Netizen “zggf438” commented: “The Communist Party’s propaganda machine only uses gold medals to create a false sense of peace, turning a blind eye to actual issues. While they parade the gold medals, they cannot hide the suffering and despair of the grassroots people.”
“Perhaps Olympic gold medals can bring temporary international glory, but they cannot change the harsh realities of the country,” expressed another netizen.
“Truly strong nations are not built upon a few gold medals but are supported by the happiness and well-being of the people. The Communist Party’s ‘gold medals supremacy’ is simply a disguise for its incompetence,” stated a netizen.
Others mentioned that many athletes resort to doping and overtraining to achieve victory, jeopardizing their health and even shortening their lifespans. They highlighted that sport is meant to enhance health, yet these athletes are not as healthy as those who do not participate in sports.
Discussing the living conditions at the Paris Olympic Village, some reports indicated that the rooms lack air conditioning, contrasting with the lavish arrangements seen at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Economies were also highlighted with the frugality of the Tokyo Olympics.
Netizens expressed surprise at the apparent backwardness of China’s development, as the ostentatious displays are overshadowed by the neglect of fundamental issues like employment, healthcare, and elderly care for the common people.
In conclusion, the emphasis on grandeur and surface appearances by the Chinese government seemingly takes precedence over addressing the practical needs of the citizens. As long as there is no attention drawn to the problems, they seem to remain unaddressed.