On Thursday (28), one of the biggest sporting events on the planet begins in Birmingham. At the Commonwealth Games, 6,000 athletes from 72 nations and territories – many of whom were part of the former British Empire – compete every four years in an event watched by 1.5 billion people on TV around the world. It’s like the Pan American Games for us, but with Jamaica in athletics, Australia in beach volleyball, India in cricket. The opening ceremony will not be luxurious nor will it be in an ultramodern arena. The stage is Alexander Stadium, opened in 1976.
The only permanent competition venue built from scratch was the aquatic center for swimming and diving. Sports with no tradition in England, such as 3×3 basketball and beach volleyball (and because Birmingham doesn’t have a beach) will be in temporary arenas. Track cycling will be in London. There is no reason to build a new velodrome in the host city, even in the case of Great Britain, which won 72 Olympic medals in the sport, 30 gold.
It makes sense. First, because they are Games made with public money with a budget that is already 800 million pounds (R$ 5.24 billion). Hosting sporting events encourages tourism, accelerates investments in high performance, in infrastructure. But how to justify the expense while the British population suffers from the high cost of living?
Second, because this seems to be a path of no return. Mega-events are changing. “Right-sizing”, or adjusting to the proper size, is a term used here. I’m not referring to annual tournaments, like Wimbledon, but to those that take place every cycle, which depend on popular support and are extremely expensive.
I’m in Birmingham covering the Commonwealth Games, and in addition to thinking of “Peaky Blinders” every time I walk down the street (fans of the series will understand), I’m constantly reminded that the competition is going to be here – there are posters all over town. , pre-event weather. But promoting doesn’t mean squandering.
Speaking of the Olympic Games, megalomaniac projects like the one in Beijing in 2008, which cost the equivalent of BRL 220 billion, seem unfeasible today – except in authoritarian nations, where your ruler will spend as much as he wants without consulting you. In most developed countries, popular opinion matters and officials will meet resistance if they want to organize a major event and build arenas that will not be used later. With Hungarian opposition, Budapest, for example, withdrew from trying to host the 2024 Olympics.
A consequence of this is that the right to host can become more unequal, going to the same cities where there is already sports infrastructure or there is little to be done. Paris-2024, Los Angeles-2028, Brisbane-2032. I don’t think I’ll ever see the Olympics again in South America (I hope I’m wrong). As a Brazilian, it’s hard to see stadiums built for the 2014 World Cup underused or try to understand why the Rio-2016 velodrome that only left a “legacy” millions in maintenance cost is still standing.
Exactly ten years ago, London hosted the Olympics, and even here in England there is criticism of broken promises and how the multicultural nation shown in the opening ceremony is now living the consequences of Brexit.
Events like the Olympic Games are inspiring and transformative, but in order for them to continue to attract audience, sponsorship, support, they need to adapt in the name of survival.
I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have a vast amount of experience in covering health news. I am also an author at News Bulletin 247. I am highly experienced and knowledgeable in this field. I am a hard worker and always deliver quality work. I am a reliable source of information and always provide accurate information.
