Gender inequality
I recently read a Gulf News poll asking people what the highlight of Olympics 2012 was. One of the answers was ‘gender equality at the Games’. I don’t understand how that is a highlight, as there wasn’t any gender equality. I think people always equate gender equality with women’s rights. I am happy that women are allowed to compete in boxing for the first time (the only sport that women couldn’t compete in earlier). However, no one is talking about equality for men, as that didn’t happen during the London 2012 Games. Women can now compete in all sports during the Olympics, but men can’t compete in two of the sports that women compete in — synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics. How is it gender equality when men can’t compete in all the sports? It’s very unfair.
From Mr Ahmad Safary
Abu Dhabi
King of the track
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has made a solid mark in the London 2012 Olympics by winning three gold medals — he silenced all his critics. He runs with great energy and strength and has tremendous self-confidence. The fastest man on the planet also enjoys a great rapport with the crowds who come to watch him — he always entertains them with gestures, even when he is practising. He is the king of the tracks. Bolt has achieved rock star status with his consistent victories, antics and unique style. His victory sign of pointing his fingers at the audience, in a bow-shooting position has become a trademark. I noticed that even members of the audience displayed Bolt’s victory sign when he won the 400-metre relay. Let us hope that Bolt runs at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 and provides us with great sporting joys. Well done, keep inspiring!
From Mr Rajendra K. Aneja
Dubai
Terrible performance
The recent poor performance of players from sub-continent countries in the London 2012 Olympics proved that like in other fields, sports is also falling. Pakistan’s 21-member team could not get a single medal in any sport. Australia beat Pakistan in hockey with a score of 7-0, while the performance of other Pakistani athletes was also very ordinary. India’s population is larger than the US and China but the Indian squad managed to get only six medals in total and their hockey team was in 12th place. The reality is that political influence, no merit and poor training facilities are the main causes of the athletes’ poor performance. I think that in key sports, most of the appointments are politically motivated. Both countries have very poor training facilities, and athletes and players who are coming from rural areas don’t seem to get financial support. Due to cricket’s popularity in Pakistan and India, governments of both countries seem not to be able to encourage other sports. Several small African countries have received medals in racing and other indoor sports. Due to the reasons mentioned above, I believe that athletes from the sub-continent can’t properly compete with American, Chinese and European players.
From Mr Khawaja Umer Farooq
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Taking over
The virtual world is taking over reality (‘Is the virtual world taking over reality?’, Gulf News, August 12). It is good in some aspects but it also has its negative points. I was born in the late 1980’s where we used to have a limited circle of friends and had time for other things, whereas now, we are exposed to a number of people with whom we interact virtually and then later complain that we don’t have time for other important things. This problem is also rising in families, where people spend more time online chatting with other people. Regular couples that used to spend a lot of time with each other are now seen in cafes, shopping malls and restaurant interacting less with each other and more virtually.
From Mr Tahseen Chaudhry
UAE
Facebook comment
Ruined lives
The woman should be punished as she cheated on her husband (‘Facebook gets Bihar woman new husband, place in jail’, Gulf News, August 12). She could have divorced him before eloping with the other man. She ruined her children’s lives as well as her husband’s.
From Mr Talish
Dubai
Website comment
Don’t forget them
We should really help our brothers and sisters who are in need, as we all know the reality of the thousands of Muslims that have been injured and killed (‘UAE responds to call for aid for Rohingya Muslims’, Gulf News, August 13). I wish more and more countries come forward, not just to provide aid to the people but to also pressurise the Myanmar government and the United Nations to help completely stop the killing of Muslims.
From Mr Muhib
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
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