Amid the euphoria surrounding the Beijing Summer Olympics and the lessons learned from previous Games, consider these reasons for making Athens, Greece, the permanent site of the Summer Games:
1. Reduce costs and spend wisely.
The Beijing Olympics cost about $ 43 billion, the most expensive in history. The original budget estimates for the 2012 London Games were exceeded just a year after their selection, and are expected to reach a “savings” of between $ 15 and 20 billion.
Why the madness? It seems that regardless of financial risk, there is no shortage of cities vying to become Olympic hosts. Chicago, Rio de Janeiro and Madrid have already announced their candidacies for the 2016 Summer Olympics. In this way, a large number of high-risk wines and dinners are guaranteed until the official announcement in 2009.
Rather than committing tens of millions of dollars to tenders every four years, keeping the Olympics in Athens would generate permanent savings, as well as a reallocation of funds for local and national initiatives. In addition, member countries could contribute to an IOC infrastructure fund to ensure the viability of the sports facilities in Athens. A global allocation would pale in comparison to the mega-billions currently spent replicating Olympic projects around the world.
2. Improved level of transparency.
With all future Games in Athens, the extravagant and obscene bidding process that precedes the selection of each Olympic city would come to an end. Bribery scandals, kickbacks, and irresponsible public / private spending would be drastically reduced if not eliminated. Instead, the global sports community should be committed to maintaining the Olympic infrastructure of Athens at the highest possible level.
3. Promotion of Sustainable Development.
How about ending the scourge of underused or underused sports facilities around the world in Olympic cities? Of course, nations have the right and duty to build stadiums and provide funds that help athletes achieve peak performance. However, without the burden of the “Olympic” organization, both the government and private companies would be more responsible with their political decisions. Supporting Greece would be a smart investment: it would leave more money to promote the sport at the grassroots level and for traditionally disadvantaged groups. Among other social priorities.
4. Respect for history and civilization.
As the cradle of Western civilization and creator of the ancient Olympiad, Greece is well positioned to treat the quadrennial event with the dignity, reverence and respect it deserves. Athens hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, as well as the 2004 version. Thus, it has proven capable of welcoming tens of thousands of athletes and providing facilities for the more than 300 medal events currently on the books. .
5. Hellenic Serenity – Truly a friendly game.
Open Games, Games without boycott and Games without past athletic and bureaucratic excesses is the best for humanity. Now is the time to revisit the roots of the Olympic movement, as expressed by the founder of the modern Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. The Olympic Charter is an idealistic document, but what better way to defeat vices like overcommercialism and drug scandals than to confirm Athens as a permanent headquarters?
The Modern Olympics have been infested with regional and national rivalries for far too long. Politics may never be completely removed from the Games, but removing a major source of envy could be a big step forward. Dare we say that the Olympic truce, the cessation of all wars around the world during the Games, could become a reality?