Aussie, Aussie, Aussie. Oi Oi Oi.

If you live in Australia, and Melbourne in particular, it would be hard not to notice that the Commonwealth Games have been underway for a little over a week now. (If you’ve never heard of the Commonwealth Games then you’re probably not from a former British colony. It’s somewhat like the Olympics but without all those pesky countries such as the USA, Russia and China to make us feel inadequate.)

Anyway, living in Melbourne as I do, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the media coverage here and the constant whir of helicopters overhead, no doubt protecting us from all those nasty would-be terrorists that somehow think it’s worth attacking a country that is 85% uninhabitable, in constant drought and has nothing much to offer (according to our media) besides sport.

Australia, it seems, fairs pretty well in the ‘Games. At last tally we had close to double the number of medals of the nearest competitor – Hardly surprising considering we’re second only to the US in terms of public dollars spent on sports.

However, all that money seems a little wasted really. Not because I don’t think sports are important for the health of the nation but because if you were to actually sit and watch any of the television coverage, or read anything in the print media, you’d soon start to wonder if there are actually any other nations competing.

I’ve looked long and hard. I’ve watched every television channel and read evey newspaper I could find but try as I might, I get the distinct impression that the only people competing are from Australia. Indeed in some events, I’m not actually sure what the rules are as no one appears to win a gold medal – the whole point I would have thought. For some strange reason, the only apparent competiror in the race (an Australian do less) somehow had to “make do” with a Silver medal or stranger still, receive no medal at all even though they ran a personal best time.

I know for a fact there are other competitors from other nations here in Melbourne (I presume for the purpose of competing) but besides those named as missing – possibly seeking political asylum – I’m yet to actually see any compete or win medals.

Perhaps I need to go and see an actual event live and have a look for myself? Then again, maybe I’ll stay at home instead and let all those fantastic images of Australians doing so well allow me to forget for a moment the fact that we spend more on our sporting elite than we do on health for the average citizen.