• YOUR correspondent DA Scott (Global equal play, August 5), suggested that medals won at the Olympics should be listed in relation to a country’s GDP.

That would tell us more about the extent to which a population “translates” its sporting efforts into success in worldwide competition.

Adding to his suggestion, it would be wise to calculate a “medals points” score based, say, on giving five points for a gold, three for silver and one for each bronze medal and calculate the “cost” of a point using a state’s GDP.

We could then compare countries’ medal points “scores”. And many smaller states at the Tokyo Olympics gained medal points far beyond what one might expect from their GDPs.

For example, to compare the relative achievements of the “People’s Republic of China” (88 medals) and “Hong Kong, China” (six medals) in this way is instructive.

It is sadly noteworthy that the UK press and broadcasters have made no mention of the striking achievement of Hong Kong, seen in these more real terms than in the simple count of numbers of medals, especially important for that territory in the current climate.

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