The picture printed on a McDonald's paper bag caught my attention. The picture depicts three athletes -- a gymnast, a swimmer and a hurdler -- doing their routines. It's obvious that the United States fast food chain produces the paper bags to welcome people to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Just as the old saying says "Pictures can say a thousand words", -- so does the paper bag. It's ironic considering that the fast food chain is selling high-calories burgers and fries -- as depicted in "The Super Size Me" documentary -- which seems a completely opposite image to that of sports.

However, we all know the pictures on the paperbag represent three sports that have always been featured at the modern Olympics, since the Games were first founded (in modern times) by Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

Track and field -- dubbed as the mother of all sports since the ancient Greeks -- offer the most medals. In Beijing, 47 golds are at stake during the quadrennial event. Swimming offers 34 golds, (excluding synchronized swimming) and gymnastics offers 14 golds.

Countries having the best athletes in the three events will traditionally top the multi sporting events medal tally. The United States is the clearest example. Ruling the track, the pool and the gym, the super power has nearly always dominated the Olympics.

This year is no exception. Relying on sprinter Tyson Gay on the track and Michael Phelps in the pool, the super power aims at extending its winning streak at the medal tally. The United States brought home 35 golds in Athens.

Host China -- whose men's hurdle Liu Xiang snatched the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics -- also shares the same ambition. The country sent a threatening signal in Athens by taking home 32 golds, compared to Russia's 27.

Even the International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge praised the success of China. "These were the games where we saw the awakening of Asia. The traditional strong nations that dominate the scene now will have to work extremely hard," he said after the Games ended.

To support that goal, the Chinese government established "Project 119" which aimed at developing gold medal opportunities in sports where China has traditionally been weak, in a bid to deliver greater success before the home crowd.

"At the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, we realized that China was generally weak in track and field, swimming and canoe/kayak, slalom, covering 119 events," Cui Dalin, deputy chef de mission and secretary-general of the Chinese Sports Delegation, said in a press conference recently.

"We have tried to improve our performances in these three major sporting areas. This effort came under a project entitled '119'. However, China still has a long way to go to catch up with countries which have achieved an advanced level in these three areas. It is unlikely that China will break through in these three major sporting areas at the 2008 Olympic Games," he said.

China's successful efforts, both as a host and a competitor, should serve as a good example for Indonesia, the National Sports Council (KONI) chairwoman Rita Subowo told Indonesian press here.

"Our sports development is far behind China, even compared to neighboring countries like Thailand. We must start focusing our sports development program on Olympics sports," she said. "We must also develop talent scouting and the grooming of athletes in the provinces."

Except for badminton, which still serves as the biggest hope for gold here, Indonesia has never won any gold medals in other sports. Indeed, we won a historical silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics -- the first ever for the country -- and also from weightlifting.

If we dream of staying in the Olympics medal tally, the government needs to make a comprehensive policy involving the education ministry, the KONI and the sports ministry to decide which sports should be a priority. The next step is to make these sports obligatory at schools and universities in a bid to build up as much young talent as possible.

With abundant talent, it will be much easier for sports organizations to select the best athletes to compete in international events, with the government tasked to provide education and welfare for the athletes, as mandated by the Sports Law.

It's never too late to make the first move. Sports stakeholders only need to generate political will and work together to make the dream come true.

If McDonald's can see the importance of sports -- not only for medal achievements, business prospects or to make people healthy and productive -- then why can't we do likewise?

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