Is Hosting the Olympics Justified?

According to new studies published in the British Medical Journal, London's Olympic & Paralympic Games, as well Glasgow's upcoming Commonwealth Games, show no tangible improvement to the British populace in terms of public health, socioeconomic impact and citizen participation in sport, major sporting events.

While hosting major sporting events has historically boosted a city's economy and public awareness, nowadays, the rising expenses of doing so is an obstacle to successfully carrying out a host bid.

Dr. McCartney, of the University of Glasgow, and colleagues, said: "The cost of hosting a major multi-sport event such as the Olympic Games or the Commonwealth Games has increased over the past two decades, to the extent that it has become difficult to justify the expenditure on the basis of entertainment or national showcasing alone."