Countries Canceling Olympic Bids
Over the past 20 to 30 years, much has been made about Olympic venues that have been built, used for a couple of weeks and left to decay. Citizens and government officials in many potential host countries have started to question the wisdom of spending millions of dollars on infrastructure that may not be used after the games are over. What is the future of the Olympics if countries keep pulling their bids?
The Games May Be Relegated to Communist or Totalitarian Nations
One of the biggest benefits of hosting the Olympics is the fact that the world will turn its eyes to the host country for 16 days. This gives what may be a relatively obscure nation the attention and prestige that it seeks. In a way, it could reward a leader who routinely kills his or her people or otherwise makes them work in squalor or live in a system that only benefits the ruling class.
It may be what such a government needs to broadcast propaganda or try to convince the world that it is ready to be a respected power. However, just like you would want an objective and unbiased sports betting sites reviews, you want the Olympics to be given to countries that deserve them. This means that the host nation has respect for human rights as well as a desire to see everyone in their nation succeed.
The Games May Ultimately Need to Be Granted on a Rotating Basis
One idea that has been floated is to have the games staged at several predetermined cities at a regular basis. For instance, the summer Olympics may be given to Los Angeles or another large city in a warm climate before being given to Oslo or some other large European city for the winter version of the Olympics.
While this may restrict the number of cities given the honor of hosting the games, it may also encourage development in those chosen. New roads, new housing and new stadiums could make a relatively poor city a global destination with the Olympics being the crown jewel that people flock to every 12-16 years. In the meantime, local sports teams can play in stadiums where historic events take place or commute to work on roads or in subways that are kept in good shape in preparation for the next games.
Holding Events in Downtrodden Countries Could Lead to Boycotts
If the games are eventually held almost exclusively in countries where the citizens cannot say no to a bid, it may lead to boycotts. This could lead to events being dominated by athletes from smaller nations that may be forced to compete or may be compensated to do so.
It is also possible that countries may try to pull strings in order to get athletes from larger nations to compete under their banner if there is even the slightest connection between that nation and the athlete. Ultimately, this may lead to a situation where athletes are being paid by smaller nations to compete.
While athletes wouldn't be paid directly by these nations, they could be compensated based the type of medal that they win. For instance, they could get $100,000 for a gold medal or $50,000 for a silver. This could change the way the games are contested and cause them to lose their amateur nature.
The more countries that cancel their bids for the Olympics, the less popular it becomes for governments to propose bids in the future. Therefore, this could limit the IOCs ability to find a suitable host every four years. Eventually, it could cause athletes to drop out or stay home unless there is something done to rectify the situation.
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