Celebrating Mediocrity - Pah!

I listened to The Jeremy Vine Show today and a sports writer was talking about how it isn't worth getting a silver or a bronze medal because it is celebrating mediocrity.  As somebody pointed out, you are hardly mediocre if you are third or even second at something in the entire world!

After thinking about it I realised the whole debate made me grind my teeth and harumph was because in saying we are celebrating mediocrity that means that winning is the only thing that matters. How can children be inspired to follow in the footsteps of their sporting heroes if they are told right at the start that you fail if you don't win? You have to start somewhere.

He also basically called olympians welfare freeloaders because they use tax payers money to spend four years training to take part in a slalom canoe race and nobody cares. That is a slightly different discussion because a lot of athletes get very little funding, however his words are not encouraging in the slightest to young people who we wish would get inspired and get our more instead of gluing themsleves to screens all the time.

Rant over, I thank you.