Sir, We all know that statistics can be used to prove anything, but in my view the proper way of looking at the Atlanta Olympic medals table is in terms of Gold Medals won per head of population. On this basis Cuba, Ireland and New Zealand headed. the order of merit at almost one gold per one million of population. Next best at about one per two million were Switzerland, Australia, and Greece, followed at one per four million by France, Germany and Italy. The host country, USA managed only one gold per five million of population, while Britain, Nigeria and China were miles down the table at about one gold per 50 million.
Of course on a gender basis Michelle Smith would have put Irish women way out in front and Irish men down among the 150 competing nations that won no golds. I would be interested to see if one of your reporters could dig out the statistics on how the golds were divided as between the caucasians, negroids, and other races in the Atlanta games and some of the earlier ones. I think that the figures would show a huge shift away from the white racial groups a shift that can only be temporarily halted by the introduction of new Olympic events such as synchronised swimming and other so called Olympian contests. Yours, etc., Jubilee Hill, Ballyman Road, Old Connaught, Bray, Co Wicklow.