Tokyo Olympics qualifications
 

I've read qualifications three times, seems inequities in set up, allowing players from small countries a spot, while US has many in top 15 that might not qualify because we are only allowed 4 players. Wouldn't you want the best of the best. I understand that everyone needs a shot, just not sure how the qualifications could be made more equitable and competitive. Any ideas?

Why should USA get more places, just because they have more players?
China doesn't get more ping pong players just because they have a lot of good players.
It's an International, not a tour event.

For my two cents, I can't understand how golf ever got into the Olympics anyway!

If you want an international competition one or two countries cannot supply the majority of the contestants. Otherwise it would get rather unwieldy.

The Olympics is not an event to determine the exact order of the best athletes in each sport in the world. If that were the goal, then there would be no restrictions on the number of participants from one country. The Olympics is there in part to promote cooperation between nations through competition in sport. There is value in a US athlete meeting an Iranian in a judo match even if neither is in the top 100 in the world.

You know the 100th best bobsled team in Germany is much better than the one from Jamaica. But having Jamaica compete is what makes the Olympics special

I guess how it’s supposed to work is each country has trials and top athletes in each field goes. Naturally this creates advantages and disadvantages. When only few spot are available. Olympic’s is not about the athletes it about the money. Athletes are pawn is big slush fun.

Well said.

Agreed! The spirit of the Olympics, which seems to have been lost by many, isn't based on the need to rack up as many medals as possible by a country.

If quality was the criteria for competing, the UK's greatest ski jumper would never have been allowed to compete.
All rise for 'Eddie the Eagle!'
One of the great moments in history when the announcer gravely reported, "The Eagle has landed!"

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When they started listing medals by country on a scoreboard medal count became overly important.