Is it worth hosting Games

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the importance of the collective personality and attitude of a nation. It seems that importance is borne out in the sentiments of the British public as we approach what is, the largest sporting event in the world.

As the London Olympics has become a reality, the build-up has been plagued with controversies. From anger regarding specific lanes of London's already congested motorways being painted with Olympic rings and reserved only for official Olympic-related activity, to G4S, the company which won the contract to supply security for the Games, somehow only realising on the 6th of July that they were understaffed by more than 6000 people. Livid London residents have failed in a bid to prevent the government from placing missiles atop their houses as part of the anti-terrorism effort, while the government have succeeded in a bid to prevent border security staff from striking the day before the opening ceremony.

Certainly, the organisation of this event has been far from perfect, and holding the Olympics in such a populous city will create logistical problems. However, the negative reaction to these issues seems far greater than the magnitude of the problems themselves.

Even before these issues arose, Londoners were planning on departing the city to make way for the swathes of tourists. This is not a country which is overly enthusiastic about the event it is hosting.

It begs the question: Is it worth hosting the Olympics?

The event has been projected to operate at a loss of about £500 million ($977 million). This is in a country where the belt is being well and truly tightened, with public sector spending recently slashed.

The Olympics running at a loss only worsens the short-term economic position of a country that, according to reports this week, has had three consecutive quarters of contraction of its Gross Domestic Product..

Despite it being easy for organisers and government officials to wax lyrical about the monumental growth in tourism or the enhancement of our nation on the global stage and the subsequent unbelievable long term growth history suggests those benefits don't accrue as we would like to think.

The 1976 Olympics, for example, left Montreal in a far worse state than it began, saddled with debt and little, if any, extra future tourism revenue.

Whether it's the media or the public who are highlighting these controversies, let's hope the British make up for that financial loss with spirit and camaraderie, just as New Zealand did for the Rugby World Cup.

James Penn is deputy head boy at Wanganui High School and was a member of the New Zealand team that competed in the World School Debating Championships.