Olympic Games And Ethical Issues

Billions of dollars and hours are spent, every four years, preparing for the Olympics. In the mid 1990’s, the schedule was modified to have alternating summer and winter games on a biyearly cycle. Countries fight for the honor of hosting these worldwide games. At first glance, it may seem exciting and glamorous to be chosen to host the games. The Olympics can offer the opportunity for the world to see the host city and surrounding area at its best, potentially generating future tourism and fame. A short term economic boom may result due to the creation of jobs, added tourist revenue, and other growth. Hosting the Olympics generates excitement and enthusiasm in cities and countries that may need a boost. However, when one takes a look further

For most, the Olympics are an exciting time to show pride and patriotism, however, for the people residing in the host city, the Olympics can also be a horrifying and life-changing event. The host cities are concerned with creating enough space to build the infrastructures needed for the games. Because most cities are already fully developed, the only way to accomplish this is by shutting down businesses and evicting citizens from their homes, generally leaving them with minimal compensation to start over. According to the Center on Housing Rights and Evictions, “1.5 million residents of Beijing will have been displaced by the time the Olympics start there” (“Residents Refused to Make Way for Beijing Olympics”). Imagine the number of families forced from their homes as the landscape of their cities are changed

When Beijing was designing their Olympic village, they attempted to create plans for the future of the structures. However, the eight-year-old Beach Volleyball Stadium sits with rotting walls and vandalism and the rowing canals lie dry and unused (Pygas). This is the case for the majority of the past Olympic venues. If this continues at the same rate, our world will be taken over by forgotten villages. Presently, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not dictate environmental standards for host cities, although in recent years many venues have made efforts to “go green” through the use of environmentally sound practices. This problem has brought about a debate concerning the creation of a permanent home for the Olympic games. While this idea would curb the long term environmental impact of repeatedly building new infrastructure, it seems that cities continue to vie for the opportunity to be a future Olympic venue. Not only must cities and countries consider the short and long-term impacts to their environment, it is most crucial that they realize the sometimes devastating economic impact that can