Game of Groans

                                            

Last week, before the Olympic games started in Sochi, there was a comical article from the Washington Post that collected tweets from journalists who had arrived in a very under-prepared Sochi. It included reports of hotel roofs missing and undrinkable water. Apparently, this is not surprising and fairly typical of all mega-sporting events. Articles are coming out everyday on Brazil's controversial hosting of the World Cup games this summer.Controversial because this excessive amount of spending on hopeful economic boosts in light of incoming tourists is taking away from the most marginalized and vulnerable people of these countries. Countries compete to even host and it present itself as a sort of "right of passage" being able to host any of these games. But at what cost to the local people?

I mean really, the games should be controversial in every country. There are few that have the infrastructure to handle the amount of people that flood into the cities where these games are hosted.  And the buildings are left vacant and unused after the games have finished.  Does anyone else see a big problem with this?

Well, local Rio de Janerians do. In this article, a major backlash to rising transportation costs summarizes the frustration of the people towards their country for spending money on this, no doubt, prestigious event. The most poignant part of the article, I think, is ""We want Fifa-standard hospitals too," they shouted, making reference to the high standards demanded by the World Cup organisers for the event's venues." 

It makes me wonder why FIFA and the Organizing Committees of the Olympic Games (OCOGs) not seem concerned about a country's welfare.  And if they are not concerned, then we, as watchers and consumers of these mega-sports programs should take a stand with those who are making sacrifices for the world's entertainment.  

It's a trend, these days, for corporations to have a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) department so why can't FIFA and OCOG too?  PepsiCo has a clean water initiative and Coca-Cola works to empower women all over the world. Corporations understand that giving back is important to people and over the past 20 years, consumers have demanded this of the companies they love.  In the same way, we as conscientious consumers can demand that these buildings be put to good use for the welfare and betterment of the population after the Olympic games. Most host cities have great plans for re-purposing the buildings like London who plans to re-use the buildings for sporting events or housing. Many are skeptical of this being an actual possibility. Most decay and sit idle for years, like the buildings in Athens, Greece. 

So much planning goes into making these buildings, I'm just asking for a plan that contributes to the community after and accountability that the money spent on these buildings will not be in vain. That the local people benefit from such an astronomical task. 

The games embody so much! They are about countries coming together to celebrate athletic ability, hard work and determination, diversity and national pride.  I think there's room for giving back to the local community somewhere in there, too.  

Beijing may be leading the way. Below is the Olympic "Water Cube" from the 2008 Olympics. It cost 100 million US dollars to make. 

And here it is today...the largest indoor water park in Asia...