This paper evaluates the factors that influence the medal count of a country
at the Olympic Games, using the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a reference for
the analysis. The paper identifies and models a number of socioeconomic
variables that influence a country’s performance at the Olympic Games
and its ability to win medals. The results indicate that size of population,
GDP per capita, political structure, hosting advantage, literacy levels and
winning medals in a previous Olympics have a significant impact on