23+ Pros And Cons Of Hosting The Olympics (Explained)

Held once every four years, with several participating nations over two hundred, the Olympic games are arguably the top sports competition in the world.

This premier International Sporting Event features sports competitions during both the summer and winter months, where athletes from across the globe come to participate in the thousands. 

 Every two years, in the break period of four years, the Olympic Games keep switching between the Summer Olympic Games and the Winter Olympic Games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC – Olympic Governing Body), founded in 1894, always upholds the Olympic charter when the Olympic Games are in progress. 

πŸ…Hosting The Olympics: Pros And Cons

Pros Hosting The OlympicsCons Hosting The Olympics
Boosts economyHigh cost of infrastructure
Increases tourismGlobal Exposure
Infrastructure developmentPotential for corruption
Displacement of residentsEnvironmental impact
Job creationThe strain on public resources
Enhanced sports facilitiesSecurity concerns
Cultural exchangeStrain on public resources
Legacy and city brandingOveremphasis on sports
Community engagementOver-commercialization
National prideProtest and social unrest

βœ”οΈ Advantages of the Olympics

International Platform

The Olympic Games provide a powerful international platform for all athletes participating in this leading sporting event. Athletes are always on the lookout for a stage that will allow them to portray their true potential in front of the world.

The Olympics offers them that stage owing to its international viewership. 

🌍 Profile

An increase in the profile of a city and Country almost invariably has prolonged economic benefits.

The Olympic Games are a sure way of increasing the profile of any City and Country. Countries, including the cities that host the Olympics, are assured of a definite increase in their worldwide recognition along with tourism. 

Olympic Games Increase the Host Country or Citys Profile

Investment

One of the significant benefits that a host country of the Olympic Games enjoys is the long-term investment that always takes place during the preparation for such a great event.

The structures built, the infrastructure imported, etc., along with the legacy that the host location acquires, will live on far after the Olympic Games have ended there. 

πŸ‘¨πŸ½β€πŸ’Ό Employment

The Olympics are responsible for creating a vast number of jobs, especially in the planning years of each Olympic Games.

This can turn out to be a massive boon for depressed cities, as this mass employment can revitalize the cities, leading to an enormous increase in the economic output of the whole host country. 

β›Ή Sports Promotion

Hosting any leading sporting event is a mammoth task, but the Olympics ensures that the whole sporting scene of the host country takes a huge boost.

The most obvious examples of this characteristic are the state-of-the-art sporting venues, practice grounds, etc., built for the Olympics. 

Economic Benefits

The Olympics sees a massive surge in the host country’s population due to the influx of tourists, athletes, and media from across the globe.

Thus there is an injection of money from across the world into the host country’s economy. Despite being a short-term benefit, this advantage cannot be ignored. 

Does Hosting an Olympic Game Help the Countries Economic Stature

Social Benefits

A premier sporting event of the Olympics’ stature creates unprecedented excitement and interest for such an incredible spectacle.

The eyes of the world converge on one location at that time. Throughout the Country, volunteerism gets a considerable boost, and this encourages the Civic attitude in the whole population. 

Global Culture

Athletes from all different corners of the world, coming from different cultures with diverse heritage and religions, participate in the Olympics. Thus, the Olympics turn out to be a melting pot of culture, and so the Olympics also act as a great teacher of the Global culture for the Global audience. 

❌ Disadvantages of The Olympics

πŸ’² Cost

The cost of hosting the Olympic Games is enormous. Presently this cost has amounted to billions of US dollars.

This cost includes bidding for the right to host the Olympics, building new sports venues, etc. It often takes years for the host country to pay off the debt incurred. 

Does Hosting Olympic Game Cost Extravagantly

Usage of Structures

Without proper planning beforehand, reusing the huge sporting venues constructed for the Olympics can prove to be a monumental task.

For example, a stadium that can eighty thousand people will be complete while hosting any event other than the Olympics. 

After the games do the magnificent infrastructures cease to be useful

Negative Publicity

The eyes of the world focused on one location for an extended period; it is straightforward for the host country to face extreme negative publicity in case anything goes wrong.

Several negative factors, including corruption, cost overrun(s), the death toll during venue construction(s), etc., can give a terrible name to the host country. 

πŸ” Security

Any lapse in the security of the athletes, dignitaries, etc., can prove detrimental to the Olympics and the host country.

Not only do these incredibly high levels of security demand severe costs, but they can also seriously hinder the daily lives and freedom of the locals. 

πŸ“ Tax

It generally takes years for the host country to pay off the debt incurred. This often leads to high increases in taxes.

The hosting cities play a massive part in footing the bill for the Olympics, and the local taxpayers are the ones who often bear the burden of all the run-off costs. 

Local Businesses

Major corporates acquire exclusive rights to the Olympics owing to the massive funding they provide to the organizers, leading to almost all local businesses and suppliers being excluded from the Olympics.

Even the cost of food and beverages is drastically high at the venues, and the local suppliers are not allowed to compete. 

Focus on Issues

A longstanding argument against the Olympics is that the generosity of this sporting event forces the governing body of the host country to overlook a lot of the pressing issues already in existence in the Country and focus all of its attention and resources only on hosting the Olympics properly. 

 The Olympics is a true celebration of sports. Athletes dream of getting a chance to take part in the Olympics. Undoubtedly, hosting such a mammoth event comes with its fair share of problems.

Even then, every Country wants to acquire the privilege of hosting The Olympics, and with careful planning, it can become a legacy the Country creates for itself. 

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