Being an Olympic 2016 host is arguably not always a good thing…
Take a look at this infographic to know the pros and cons of the Olympic Games in Rio 2016.
Rio 2016 the Pros and Cons
Like with most things in life, being the country that is hosting the Olympics comes with positives and negatives. In some cases, it can transform a country, and bring in business and riches from across the globe, however this does not always happen, and in those cases the costs certainly do not outweigh the benefits.
Why host the Olympics?
Countries invest deeply into making the games the great events that they have always been in the hope that during and after the games, they can reap the benefits from it. These come from ticket sales, tourism, marketing and making the area more desirable. In some cases, it also gives the host country thousands of job opportunities that were not there before, and allows people to gain new skills and an income. However, it greatly depends on the host cities, some have had considerable success from the games, while other have had to take significant losses from their investment. One thing is for sure though, it will bring an influx of foreign visitors, as well as encouraging investment in transport and infrastructure.
The cost of being a host
Being an Olympic host is arguably not always a good thing. The cost of hosting such a major sporting event is phenomenal, and sometimes countries take it on when realistically they are going to struggle to find the funds to make it work.
Additionally, sometimes people will have to be moved out of their homes to make room for the infrastructure needed. In Rio, approximately 77,000 Brazilians were forced to move out of their homes and had to find somewhere else to live. Plus, with no promise that the infrastructure will be used for anything in the future, this could come as quite a blow.
So is it worth it?
It all comes down to the country that is hosting the Olympics as to if it is successful or not and pays in the future. In terms of Rio it could be argued either way. On one hand Rio is currently going through its worst recession in 100 years, but on the other hand thousands of people have been given jobs, and there is a hope of investment in the future.
Author Bram Schuijten and illustrations by dr-discount.
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