Single Vote View

(Created on 28th February 2010)

Vote #135

The following question was presented:

I have to say that I've been quite taken in by the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, however, I'm not 100% sure as to which country won. The US seem to look at all medals made equal and perform a simple medal count (not because this puts them at the top, this is how they look at the summer games too). As I understand it, the UK ranks the countries based on the number of gold medals only. I seem to remember that there was a points system that allotted 3 points for a gold medal, 2 points for a silver medal and 1 point for a bronze medal. This isn't a trick question. The medal count is as follows:

Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total Medals	Total Points
USA	9	15	13	37	70
Germany	10	13	7	30	63
Canada	14	7	5	26	61

How do you think the winning country in the Olympics should be decided?

Results:

Points system (3 points for gold; 2 for silver; 1 for bronze) was the clear winner with 67% of the votes selected from the following:

Total number of medals (0%)
Total number of gold medals only (33%)
Points system (3 points for gold; 2 for silver; 1 for bronze) (67%)
Other (0%)

Graphic of Results:

Pre-Result Discussion

Mr O
00:14:56
1st March 2010

The number of golds is taken first, if tied, then number of silvers, and if still tied, number of bronze, if all three are tied then the countries are tied in whichever position on the medal table, kind of like the points system but not.

Analysis:

I have to say that I prefer the points system as I just can't see that treating all medals as equal makes sense given that the objective is to win and get gold. There were also a few votes for only counting the gold medals - I do wonder whether this is truly what those voters believe or if it's just a vote against the US as that would mean that Canada won .... which they did .... in overtime if I remember correctly. Anyway, points system it is.