These days, it seems that hosting a large international sporting competition, such as the Olympics or World Cup, is less about national pride and sports and more about money. Countries should therefore not spend billions of dollars on events and venues that mostly do not help them fix their real problems but only serve their politicians. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this idea?

Sports, from the days of the Greek Olympiads, have brought people together to celebrate a nation’s pride and strength. Over the past century or so, however, organized sports events have become political and corporate tools that overshadow the sports and athletes themselves and end up costing taxpayers billions of dollars that could be better spent elsewhere. I fully concur that politicians need to set aside their own interests and focus their energies and their nations’ budgets on their citizens. A nation that wants to show the world its power should do so through its people. A country in which there are few or no homeless people, for instance, ought to be much more admired than one that spends billions of dollars on swimming pools and soccer stadiums, while the homeless are hidden away from the media. When one looks at China, as an illustration, one will see that there are many poor farmers and others who can barely survive, whereas the expensive infrastructure that was used to host the 2008 Olympics is mostly in ruins and disuse. A country that wants to promote an image of strength can do so by supporting their athletes and sending them to compete overseas while building homes and hospitals at home for their citizens. As for a nation’s pride, this too is questionable as it has become very clear that many of the world’s biggest sporting organizations allot hosting privileges based on corruption and fraud. In some nations, in fact, the hosts even engage in violations of human rights in order to satisfy the needs of the sporting conglomerates, all for the sake of showing the world that they too can accommodate the world’s elite. If, on the other hand, one looks at the best athletes in the world, one will see examples of dedication, sacrifice, and hard work, the true cornerstones of dignity and prestige. Politicians should take notice and act similarly. In conclusion, sports can be a powerful tool to convey a nation’s strength and unity. Unfortunately, the sports themselves and the athletes who participate in them have become tools for the world’s elite, and this situation needs to change.