Hosting the Olympics is Not All Fun and Games
Not only are the Olympics an exciting source of entertainment, but they are also a chance for host cities to showcase their culture and gain global recognition. However, being selected to host such a celebrated event is like a white elephant gift. The costs of holding the Games far outweigh any benefits, making the Olympics an extremely burdensome event to host.
Since 1896, the modern Olympic Games have established themselves as the leading international sporting event, uniting athletes, and spectators from all corners of the world. Not only are the Olympics an exciting source of entertainment, but they are also a chance for host cities to showcase their culture and gain global recognition. However, being selected to host such a celebrated event is like a white elephant gift. The costs of holding the Games far outweigh any benefits, making the Olympics an extremely burdensome event to host. Indeed, if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) wants to continue to find willing hosts, then serious reforms need to be considered.
The Olympics weren’t always such an issue. Traditionally, hosting the Games was manageable for cities. They took place mainly in developed countries that could support such large events and were often publicly funded with the help of the IOC. During the 1970s, the popularity of the Games increased rapidly, making them more of a problem for countries. Suddenly, there were large influxes of tourists and athletes that wanted to be involved, which meant more infrastructure was needed to support this change. As the years passed, cities began to lose interest in hosting, and Montreal's high costs for accommodating the sporting event further discouraged them. By the end of the decade, only Los Angeles placed a bid to hold the next Games.
Indeed, Montreal’s games were a wake-up call to the financial drain of the Olympics on host cities. In fact, the Montreal Summer Games cost 796% over budget! It took 30 years for Montreal to eventually pay off its debt and Quebec taxpayers are still paying for the maintenance costs of the Stadium. Interestingly, no Olympic Games have been able to respect their budget since 1960. Unfortunately, not all countries are as able to bounce back from such exorbitant costs as others are. The Summer Games held in Athens in 2004 helped ignite the Greek economic collapse that unravelled a few years later.
Additionally, the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro caused shockwaves in Brazil. After the 2016 Games were held, average wages in Brazil decreased leading to lower tax revenues and fewer funds available to support necessary services. While the Games were a source of ephemeral entertainment to billions of global spectators, residents of Rio were left to carry the weight of the event. Furthermore, locals were displaced to make space for the Olympian infrastructure needed to accommodate athletes and tourists. Thousands of families were evicted from their homes because of the Summer Games, which also feeds into the government’s plan to transform poorer neighborhoods into rich suburbs. Other host cities also faced similar issues, such as Beijing’s 2008 Games which cleared1.5 million people to make way for the construction of Olympic structures. Moreover, Olympic facilities often fall into disuse. Only a handful of cities have hosted the Olympics more than once and many seldom use the facilities built for the Games after the event. On the other hand, the venues that are still in use end up costing the city millions of dollars a year to maintain.
Despite all this, it is unrealistic to abolish such an enjoyable event that brings the world together. Instead, reforms should be considered to make the Olympic Games more sustainable and less burdensome for host cities. When the modern Games first took place, international travel and broadcasting were practically nonexistent. Choosing a new city every couple of years isn't necessary, especially if it lacks the infrastructure to host the Games. The International Olympics Committee should consider choosing a few cities that already have large stadiums and proper structures and alternate between them to host the games.As an alternative, cities can be encouraged to co-host the Olympics, drawing inspiration from FIFA. In 2026, the FIFA World Cup will be hosted by cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico, which will alleviate some of the costs of welcoming such a large event. It will also be more sustainable given that people can travel to where the game is held closest to them. The IOC should also lower bidding costs and be more transparent about the overall expenses involved with welcoming the Games. Many cities grossly underestimate the price of hosting, which is misleading for the cities’ governments and taxpayers. Finally, there should be a bigger emphasis on legacy planning which would ensure that the infrastructures and facilities built for the Olympics are useful and sustainable in the long run. This would avoid the creation of ghost towns and abandoned sites when the Games conclude.
By reforming the Olympics, the Games will truly be something cities can look forward to and take pride in, rather than a stressful burden that negatively impacts residents, and the host city.
Written by Clara Goddard