LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

I am enjoying the London Olympics – the doubts over security and other details seem to have disappeared as soon as the opening ceremony commenced.
It is a monstrous celebration - there are over 11'000 competitors from more than 200 countries competing in 36 sports for just over 300 gold medal events – the Peoples Games. Well not exactly.

The sharing out of medals is skewered in favour of the richer countries.
Only 3 countries in the world are not appearing Kosovo, South Sudan and the Vatican but almost 2/3rds of the countries participating will not win a single medal gold, silver or even bronze. The majority of these are from Black Africa.

In some sports such as archery none are even competing.
There are many similar elitist sports that essentially preclude them through the cost of kitting out, equestrian events for example.
After the first of the three weeks only one African country has won medals and, no surprise, all 3 to white South Africans.
This lack of achievement is not due to a lack of ability. When Africans do compete, male or female, they can almost monopolise the sport. Long distance running, sprinting, heavy weight boxing and basketball spring to mind.

Not only is the sharing out of medals skewered in favour of the richer countries but within these richer countries the sharing out of medals is skewered in favour of the athletes from richer backgrounds.

Team GB shows great team spirit but even so has a disproportionate reliance on private as opposed to state educated Olympians. Those from wealthier backgrounds have greater access to training facilities such as rowing, sailing, shooting etc.

Sooner or later the present anachronistic formula will have to be updated. Mike Lillico

Playa de Palma

Praise for Lifeguards

Dear Sir,

Being a frequent visitor to Palma Nova over the past 23 years, my family and I witnessed a very sad event during the first week of our holiday this year.

A man passed away at Palma Nova beach with reports stating that heart problems caused his death. After witnessing what had unfolded, I believe that much praise must be given to the lifeguards who were on duty at the time on Palma Nova beach, who with two female tourists began CPR on the gentleman.

The CPR proceeded for approximately 1 hour with local police, paramedics and ambulance staff taking turns to try and revive the man in the blazing heat. Everyone who was involved in trying to resuscitate the patient gave their all 100% they deserve to know this did not go unnoticed by many tourists on the beach that day.

D Derrett