Becoming the host of a major sporting event such as the World Cup or the Olympics is a fervent wish of many countries. While hosting such an event is costly, it also greatly benefits the host country. In order to provide a more elaborate insight, both advantages as well as disadvantages of hosting international sports events will be discussed below.
On the one hand, several benefits are associated with securing the right to become an event holder. Initially, hosting a large sporting event will undeniably stimulate the country’s tourism industry. For example, a vast number of sporting fans worldwide may flock to the host country as tourists to support their teams, increasing the demand for tourism services; hence, these events raise the profile of the city or the country. Additionally, preparation for these events often necessitates infrastructure improvements. The nation typically has to invest in all sports facilities and transport to accommodate an influx of tourists. This includes constructing roads, train lines, and airports, as well as organizing transportation services. Such infrastructure developments can benefit the host nation in the long term.
On the other hand, some problems surface from the event organization in terms of financial investment. Firstly, many believe that the government’s funds should be channeled towards people’s general welfare. Particularly, areas such as healthcare and education are often in need of financial support, especially in underdeveloped regions. Secondly, the infrastructure specifically built for the event such as cycling tracks and ski-jumping arenas may become underused after the event, leading to wasted resources. For instance, an array of stadia built at great expense in Brazil for World Cup 2014 has left their profitability in doubt.
In conclusion, from the aforementioned content, it might be fair to conclude that for every advantage of being the host of international sporting events, there is a corresponding drawback. Hosting such an event of magnitude not only brings the benefits of a thriving tourism industry and well-developed infrastructure, but also the drawbacks of the urgent need for investment in other areas and the challenge of re-purposing of the event-specific facilities in the future.