it's about medal counts. It has gotten to the which nation is better. It used to be the US vs. Russia vs. east Germany, then US vs the world, now it's US vs China vs Russia, with China reppin' the E. German angle.
It's about power plays---generally the ones with the most medals, especially golds is seen as a superpower.
China has said back in the early 2000s that they couldn't beat the blacks, and if you look at their strategy, they focus on more obscure and individual sports, plus gymnastics---which the Russians focus on as well...Swimming, diving...
All that nobody gives a shit. Everybody watches the Summer Olympics for the track and field events (and basketball) that's all that matters.