Just look at the music industry today, you think its a coincidence that only 10/10 looking female singers "make" it?
Pete Townsend of The Who said sarcastically in an interview a few years ago that if he and the band were trying to get started today, instead of in the 60's, that they'd never have a chance. Because they're too ugly.
<edit> China.
<edit> the Olympics.
<edit> the media hype.
<edit> the whole commercialised, politicised sideshow.
I remember watching the Olympics back in the 70's when all we heard about was the "Medal Race" between the US and the Soviets. Got sick of it real quick. Found myself cheering for unknown guys from smaller countries who didn't have big state-sponsored machines backing them up. Americans used to complain biterly about how the Russians, Chinese, and East Germans used to fund their "amateurs".

So what do we do? We start doing the same friggin thing. Because it's
all about the medals. Classic example: We got tired of losing to Russian "amateur" basketball players, so what's our answer? We send the damn NBA.