Some countries achieve international success by building specialized sports facilities for top athletes to train instead of providing sports facilities that everyone can use. Do you think it is a positive or negative development?

In recent years, some countries have made great achievements in the international arena by investing in sport facilities for selected athletes whereas their general citizens are ruled out for such a privilege. Seemingly, it may generate benefits for countries involved. But a deep analysis of the issue reveals a different picture.

Those successful countries which have invested in top athletes and have built exclusive sports facilities and equipments may reap benefits in the short term. To commence with, it is a shortcut to build international reputation and uplift the image of one country in the global arena. This, in turn, may bring about many other potential benefits such as economical opportunities, political status in the international community, etc. For example, China has invested heavily in top sportsmen to win championships in many international sports competitions including the Olympic Games. As a result, the outstanding performance of some Chinese athletes has made deep impression on audience around the world. Moreover, one nation’s sports success in the world is likely to encourage and promote enthusiasm in sports among its own citizens.

Despite the apparent advantage of achieving international fame by investing in top sportsmen in one nation, the negative impact cannot be ignored. First of all, it is possible to hurt social fair and justice, making the problem of uneven distribution of resources even worse in some developed countries. In extreme cases, it may become a source of social disorder. In addition, lack of sports facilities for general citizens may weaken the physical strength of the general population, exerting a negative impact on its social productivity.

In a nutshell, even though some countries may gain advantages by investing only in their top athletes, the long term effect may be negative in general. Countries should learn to evenly distribute social resources to gain the maximum benefit.