Is Olympic Games success worth it?

Is Olympic Games success worth it?

The 2016 Olympic Games were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and have left many people asking if the games are worth it. Yes, they still have the attraction of excitement, competitiveness and patriotism, but at what cost. The Rio games cost approximately $12bn whilst poverty, guns, drugs and street crime are rife amongst it’s 22 million residents. The same can be said about the legacy of many previous Olympic hosts, London included. In East London many poorer families were promised affordable housing on the land used for the Olympic village, where athletes reside during the games. 4 years on and there is no sign of the housing materializing.

Also when looking at the costs of the Olympic games we need to consider it’s athletes. The media have reported many cases of former athletes having long term physical and mental health issues. The main reason being performance enhancing drugs, and the fact that many younger athletes may not even be aware of what they are taking and the long term effects. Female athletes who have been given performance enhancing drugs from a young age risk damaging their uterus, leading to babies being born handicapped or undersized. Doping can also cause incontinence, impotence, heart failure, along with serious mental illnesses.

Many say what has happened in Rio is a disgrace to the Olympics. Slums were destroyed to make way for the stadiums which left thousands homeless. The country is pretty much bankrupt causing riots before the games as they put billions of dollars into hosting them. Maybe it’s time to give the Olympic Games a break but propaganda and status rule here.

Olympic Games Rio 2016


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