I have always felt that sporting activities, especially football, are a waste of time and resources. Personally I find it ridiculous that people will expend their time and money on tickets to watch grown men chase a ball all around a big field.
I also do not see the importance of the Olympic Games given how the expenses most times outweigh the gains, but then on the flip side, the beauty about life is in its diversity, and honestly, as long as the fund is available, why not? Taking a critical look at the impact of various sporting activities, we could see that nothing unites the world more.
Basically, wherever you see people of different ethnicities or races gathered, just know that one or more sporting activities are involved. Again, when discussing the economic impact of the Olympics or sports, we just cannot keep looking at the cost overrun alone.
It is also worth considering the value that the sporting activities bring as well, which most times overrides the outrageous cost incurred to host.
Personally I think a world without sports will just be plain boring. People basically need to unwind; they need an escape from their daily routine, and sports seem like the perfect opportunity for many to do something different to escape their normal life.
How about the Olympics? Growing up, I saw my parents get really excited whenever the Olympics began. My dad is usually the broadcaster who comes back from work to inform my mom of the commencements.
Back then, there used to be a special channel where the Olympics were being televised, and we would all sit in the sitting room after the day's activities to watch various athletes perform. These performances range from a variety of track and field events, with some of my favorites being the javelin throw, high jump, hurdles, shot put, etc. Indeed, those were fun moments not only for me but for my family as well, as they formed a vital part of our early life.
How about the people who actually get to travel to watch the Olympics in person? I mean, if we had such memorable moments watching it being televised, one can only imagine the richness of culture that these tourists must have been exposed to.
Aside from the tourist attractions, the economic benefits associated with the hosting of sporting activities do have some lasting effects. For example, in 1992, Barcelona saw a lasting urban regeneration after the Olympics concluded. Even my state was not left out; although it was not an Olympic event, there was a time that a big sports event was hosted at the then Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro. Tourists came in droves, which further placed the polytechnic in the books of good publicity. After the event, the governor gifted the institution a huge sum of money for maintenance and other purposes. As time progressed, other events were also held at the school stadium, which further ushered in economic growth and prosperity for the locals.
I understand that when it comes to hosting sports, not every situation turns out favorable. For example, Rio 2016 left many abandoned venues afterwards. There is also the issue of cost overrun as earlier stated, which sometimes leaves debt for taxpayers to clear. Regardless, I think some of its benefits, like the short-term boost of infrastructural upgrades and jobs, cover the shortfall and financial burden. In the end, Olympic or other sporting activities should not be eradicated rather, the authorities should explore a more minimalistic approach to hosting.
