Exploring the Sustainability Myth: A Deep Dive into Mega Event Impacts

This essay delves into the sustainability of mega events, particularly focusing on sporting events, and questions whether this sustainability is a 'myth'. The essay explores the economic, social, and environmental impacts of such events, analyzing both the benefits, such as infrastructure development and tourism revenue, and the drawbacks, including environmental damage, financial burdens, and social issues like displacement and labor exploitation. The analysis includes case studies of events like the Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup, and the protests against these events, and it concludes that the negative consequences often outweigh the positive aspects, making long-term sustainability a significant challenge. The essay uses various research papers, articles, and studies to support its arguments.

ESSAY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
BODY..............................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5
.........................................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Mega events specifically the case of sporting has huge significance in today's world. It is
because of the scale at which they are organised and impact of same on the economic, social and
other factors of the host countries (Tien, Lo and Lin, 2011). Participants from cross the world are
attracted and media cover such events with great enthusiasm and ensures that they deliver all the
minutes of the occasion at global level. This activity has its own significance but the negative
results of same are so evident that they can not be avoided. The following essay will discuss on
how the sustainability of Mega Events is a ‘myth’. For this a comparative study of its failure
and success would be done which will help in understanding the global impact of such mega
events.
BODY
The idea of sustainability is beneficial for the economy specially in the tourism and the
event businesses. It is because of the fact that whenever a big programme is held in a particular
county it increases its popularity at global level and contribute much in the economy. Olympic
sports for instance are most famous and people from cross nations participate in same. This event
is organised after every 4 year of time and same level of efforts are taken in each year to make it
more popular and better from the last time. More than 150 countries participate in it and struggle
to win (Ziakas, 2015). Spectators come from different corners of the world to the host countries
and experience the live games and hence contribute to the popularity. Olympic games are not just
the only event but there are also other events like World Cup or Eurovision which creates the
same aura at international level. Because of their popularity the country hosting such an event do
not afford to do any compromise with it as even a small mistake of irresponsible behaviour may
lead to shame for the organiser country at international platform. This has therefore changed the
idea of hosting an event. Earlier it used to be a proud moment for getting selected for arranging
such an event and it was considered that this will be a point where great economic change will
take place. Now , instead of bidding for organising the sports, countries are taking their names
back.
Preparing for such an event is not at all easy. Lots of preparations has to be done which
even takes years by the host to ensure that they have considered all the considerations and the
international safety is maintained. This involves huge cost that sometimes it makes it difficult for
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the host country to justify same. It is not like that hosting a mega event has no advantages as if
the past records are checked it could be found that there are many countries which are also
beneficed from this activity (Jago and et.al., 2010). The most common benefit of such an event is
that it leas to great development in the infrastructure for the country as the revenue generated
from these activities are invested in construction of the buildings, roads, new hotels and other
related facilities. Maximum money is yield from the sale of tickets that are sold at high prices
keeping the popularity of game and countries participating as a base. As people from distinct
nations visits the country that is organising the event, it brings inflow of foreign currency which
further add more support to hosting such mega shows. In order to offer best staying facilities to
the sportsmen a complete new area is developed which is so perfectly built that it can be
considered as a different town all together.
Apart from all these one of the major benefit of this participation is that it creates great
employment opportunities for the residents of the country that is currently hosting the affair. This
is a big reason behind why it is an awaited moment for many people who although do not have
any interest in the games. They find it as a good opportunity of earning wealth and hence it
further raises its popularity. Winning is a desire of all and for the players of the hosting country it
becomes comparatively a favourable point. This is due to the fact that they are supported by the
home crowd and also playing on the home country grounds are less complex than performing at
some other place. It show that there are many favourable factors that promotes doing the honour
of treating the mega affair (Kim, 2013).
Then the question arise that why sustainability of mega events is a myth. It is because of
the various disadvantages that can not be separated from such activity. The most common issue
that shows that these events will not continue for longer are the environmental effects of same.
Emission in huge amount is done during the affair and great harm to the biodiversity is made.
Not only this excess use of resources are done which is against the concept of sustainability as
there are only limited resources and should not be used after an extent. Thereafter, comes the
other issue of irreversibility factor. When the bid is won preparations for the events are started
for which the time is less and demands huge investments. Huge capital is used and once it is
allocated it can not be changed. This may result into huge opportunity cost for the country,
results of which may be observed only in the long run (Diederichs and Roberts, 2016). I shows
that while planning most of the mega events the holistic approach is not followed which is again
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against the policy of sustainability. It show that that though these events have smiling faces from
outside but can result into major problem for the host countries. Another incident that supports
this argument is the protest that was shown by the Brazilians where people in huge number came
on the roads to protest against the coming Olympic 2014 and world cup of 2016.
Illustration 1: Demonstrations during a protest against the 2014 world
cup, in Brasilia
(Source: How The 2014 FIFA World Cup Became The Worst Publicity Stunt In History, 2019)
According to them for such affairs the political parties forget their primary role and their
priority becomes entertaining the event (Leopkey and Parent, 2012). Another issue hat was
caused by such event was of the Rio de Janeiro. Dispossession of people in high number was
done so that infrastructure for the games could be developed which was not an ethical move and
again falls against the criteria of being a sustainable act. Those who suffered from this move
were not given any attention and instead more focus was given on raising the total worth of the
area where the advancement is done. It was an act that was taken considering the rich class.
If any recent example is considered this will support more to the statement that why
sustainability of Mega Events is a ‘myth’. If we take the case of Qatar it would be more clear that
why it is difficult to continue the practices of organising events at such a high scale for any
country. This place won the bid for organising the world cup in 2022 (Liang and et.al., 2016).
Preparation were started for same and many migrants were forced to work under the unsafe
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working conditions. Most of the people specifically those belonging to Pakistan and India
refused to be a part of this activity. On the top of that they were not even paid for the labour
which they were giving towards the development of buildings, roads etc. and hence led to huge
distress among them. Although this practice did not continue for long and enactment of a
legislation was done that supports the welfare of those who actually do not belong to Qatar
(Getz, 2012). It shows how different aspects of suitability for such events are breached making
its continuity a big question.
CONCLUSION
The outcomes of this essay disclosed that, although mega sport events were blessing for
the society initially, but with the passage of time it is observed that they are turning into an
unfavourable affair specially for the local residents of the host country. The sustainability is not
sure for the future as the negative impacts of organising such a huge occasion is developing with
the increase in countries participating in same. It is important to bring a close control on the
actions that are taken during the preparations for same as otherwise the mega sports events will
end up in books only and the future generation will never get an opportunity to be a part of it.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Tien, C., Lo, H.C. and Lin, H.W., 2011. The economic benefits of mega events: A myth or a
reality? A longitudinal study on the Olympic Games. Journal of sport management.
25(1). pp.11-23.
Ziakas, V., 2015. For the benefit of all? Developing a critical perspective in mega-event
leverage. Leisure Studies. 34(6). pp.689-702.
Jago, L. and et.al., 2010. Optimising the potential of mega-events: an overview. International
Journal of Event and Festival Management. 1(3). pp.220-237.
Kim, H.D., 2013. The 2012 London Olympics: Commercial partners, environmental
sustainability, corporate social responsibility and outlining the implications. The
International Journal of the History of Sport. 30(18). pp.2197-2208.
Diederichs, N. and Roberts, D., 2016. Climate protection in mega-event greening: the 2010
FIFA™ World Cup and COP17/CMP7 experiences in Durban, South Africa. Climate
and Development. 8(4). pp.376-384.
Leopkey, B. and Parent, M.M., 2012. The (Neo) institutionalization of legacy and its sustainable
governance within the Olympic Movement. European sport management quarterly.
12(5). pp.437-455.
Getz, D., 2012. Event studies: Discourses and future directions. Event Management. 16(2),
pp.171-187.
Liang, Y.W., Wang, C.H., Tsaur, S.H., Yen, C.H. and Tu, J.H., 2016. Mega-event and urban
sustainable development. International Journal of Event and Festival Management. 7(3). pp.152-
171.
ONLINE
How The 2014 FIFA World Cup Became The Worst Publicity Stunt In History, 2019. [ONLINE].
Available through <https://www.forbes.com/sites/capitalone/2019/06/28/classic-
summer-towns-that-offer-a-taste-of-old-time-opulence/#5c80bc96f6ff>.
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