International Sports event is a multi-national sporting competition organized and sanctioned by a national government or an international sports governing body. It usually involves competing teams from different countries and is typically held once every four years, except for a few exceptions. It is an event that brings together competitors from all over the world to compete in honest games – “may the best man win” – without regard for his race, country of origin, or political ideology. It is intended to be a celebration of human achievement and an occasion to bring nations together.
The staging of international sports events yields several benefits to the hosting country. These include economic, socio-cultural and developmental benefits. Economically, the hosting country receives revenues from ticket sales, television show rights and sponsorship deals. In addition, the construction of new stadiums and other infrastructure boosts employment opportunities. This in turn helps to improve the GDP of the country.
It also increases the prestige of the host city and nation. The success of the Olympic Games in Barcelona (1992), Sydney (2000), and London (2012) enhanced the global standing of the cities. The same can be said for the Giro d’Italia (cycling), Calgary Stampede (rodeo), World Series of Tennis, and the America’s Cup (sailing).
Another major benefit is that it provides a platform for exchange of ideas and experiences in sports. In this way, the participating athletes become familiar with other cultures and ways of life. Moreover, they learn from the experience of their fellow competitors. They can take this knowledge and apply it to their own careers. It is for this reason that many sportsmen and women from different parts of the world come to train in a foreign country.
In spite of the immense benefits, some disadvantages also exist. It has been observed that some governments use international sporting events to promote their ideology or as a tool for propaganda. The host country may interfere in the selection and preparation of athletes, and may even impose extra incentives and sanctions on them. Learn more about this at 해외스포츠중계.
As a result, the sportsmen and women who have trained for years or even for a lifetime can be used as pawns in a political conflict. This is especially true when the event is hosted by a superpower, which can be expected to flex its muscles and play with the lives of people who have worked hard for their achievements. In order to prevent this from happening, the Olympics should be entrusted to lesser powers who could content themselves with staging an event that brings nations together. This would allow the millions of spectators to see the wide jumper or swimmer or gymnast only as a person who has achieved perfection brought about by discipline and aspiration, not as a symbol of their own government’s political ideology.