How much should governments spend on sports?

Some governments spend a lot of public money training up individuals to be successful in international sporting events.

Some people believe that this money should be spent on things that will benefit the general public instead. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Governments invest a significant amount of money in training for sports events like the Olympics. This comes at a significant opportunity cost as the money could have been spent on other things like free education. I believe less money should be spent on sports.

Firstly, it is important to acknowledge that investing in sports is beneficial. It is good for the economy as it creates a lot of jobs, two examples being coaches and construction workers. At the societal level, sports also promote social cohesion as citizens of a country come together to cheer a sportsperson representing their country. It is also advantageous to sportspeople as it gives them an opportunity to hone their skills and become the best in their field without letting a lack of money get in the way.

However, sports are not important enough to justify a high amount of spending. Countries face more pressing problems, such as poverty, climate change, human rights violations and poor public health. Governments must invest resources to resolve these issues, which should be given greater priority than developing sports. This is especially important as government funds mainly consist of taxpayer money. Therefore, governments must ensure to spend this money on something that benefits citizens.

To summarise, investment in sports is beneficial for the economy as it generates employment and for society as it promotes cooperation. Sportspeople are also given a training opportunity. However, given that the country faces more pressing issues, the funds must be used for public benefit instead, such as improving infrastructure.