Vol. 23 No. 245 (2018)

A few days ago, the Youth Olympic Games ended in Buenos Aires. In the context that there is very little information circulating, it is known that the expenses were considerably higher than expected.

Now, is it worth such an outlay? Does getting some medals justify it? Or it is like Will Smith says: We spend money we do not have, on things we do not need, to impress people we do not care.

Is it really beneficial to host large sporting events? Opinions vary. For some, when a candidacy is launched, the crowds are attracted by the event, the sponsors contribute so that the expenses are minimal and the consumption that is generated justifies such an investment. Others argue that the earnings for the arrival of visitors are relative, the sponsors are scarce and some of them even take advantage to charge for some services and that the expenses become uncontrollable.

Following this last trend, many citizens have rejected the possibility of being an Olympic venue. Hamburg, Boston and Toronto turned their backs on being hosts due to the high costs. In the 2015 Hamburg referendum, citizens voted to invest money in social projects instead of organizing an Olympic Games.

Before any initiative of this nature it is always convenient to ask ourselves the question of rigor: By whom and how is the party paid?

Tulio Guterman, Manager - October 2018