Make Athens the permanent site of the Summer Olympics, please!

Amid the euphoria surrounding the Beijing Summer Olympics and the lessons learned from previous Games, consider these reasons to make Athens, Greece the permanent site of the Summer Games:

1. Cut costs and spend wisely.

The Beijing Olympics cost about $43 billion, the most expensive in history. Original budget estimates for the London 2012 Games were exceeded just a year after their selection, and are projected to reach a “savings” figure of between $15 billion and $20 billion.

Why the madness? It seems that regardless of the financial risk, there is no shortage of cities vying to become Olympic hosts. Chicago, Rio de Janeiro and Madrid have already announced their candidatures for the 2016 Summer Olympics, thus ensuring a free set of high-risk lunches and dinners until the official announcement in 2009.

Rather than commit tens of millions of dollars in quadrennial deals, keeping the Olympic Games 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 Athens sports facilities. A global allocation would pale in comparison to the mega-trillions currently spent on replicating Olympic projects around the world.

2. Improve the 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 sporting community should commit to maintaining Athens’ Olympic infrastructure to the highest possible standards.

3. Promotion of Sustainable Development.

How about ending the scourge of infrequent or underused sports facilities around the world in Olympic cities? Nations, of course, have the right and duty to build stadiums and provide funds that help athletes achieve peak performance. However, without the burden of hosting the ‘Olympics’, both the government and private companies would be more responsible with their policy decisions. Supporting Greece would be a good investment: it would leave more money to promote the sport at grassroots level and to 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. It has therefore 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 Games.

Open Games, Games without boycotts and without the athletic and bureaucratic excesses of the past is the best for humanity. Now is the time to review 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 conquer vices like excessive commercialism and drug scandals than by confirming Athens as the permanent venue?

The modern Olympic Games have been plagued by 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 go a long way. Dare we say that the Olympic Truce, the cessation of all wars around the world during the Games could become a reality?

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