In communist countries, kids were chosen at a very young age, went to special athletic academies away from home, lived in dormitories, trained all day. They earned increasing bonuses for every competitive win. It was their entire life
And for a poor peasant family, getting a child into one of these academies was a real mark of success. It got a family extra food, offered the chance of travel, a little more money, etc...
Those who didn’t make it to the highest levels nonetheless still had better opportunities. Air China and its state-run airlines, for example, still draw their air-stewardesses from the ranks of female gymnast or ballet/dance academies.
So there was incredible pressure and conformity. You did whatever you were told.
The systems haven’t changed that much, especially in China.
Americans that don’t appreciate what we have here are complacent fools, and now many of them are GMO sheep.
(Aside, my wife doesn’t buy anything food that is not labeled “nonGMO” or organic. I told her the irony of her having multiple gene therapy injections, to the point where now she won’t have to worry about bugs and ergot just like treated wheat and corn. )
I listened to one of Rafael Arutyunyan’s interviews.....He said Russia put out athletes like a production factory. That they were in the business of producing skaters when he worked there for 25 years.
He further stated US has a defined and focused approach. That they look for kids with passion and desire for the sport which you can’t get in an assembly line approach.