Let the Olympic Torch light up the Dark Continent

Reflecting on my earlier blogpost about the Olympic Games, I have thought up an alternative vision for the Olympics for the future.

Instead of having the Games at different cities every 4 years and spending huge amounts of money building up facilities with the attendant dislocation, scrutiny of host country’s policies and politics and creating publicity disasters, why not select a city in a poor African Country and build permanent facilities there so the Olympic Games can be held there every four years.

The construction of the facilities can be sponsored by the Multi-National Corporations and Sports Equipment Manufacturers who benefit more by the holding of the Games. Or the rich Arab Nations who are making more money than they can spend in the current oil price boom can chip in. Of course they will get the Naming rights and Advertisement Preferance for their money.

This would focus a big development effort on a poor African Country and will symbolically shine the Olympic Light on the Dark Continent. Imagine the benefit of development and construction and jobs and economic growth that could accrue to Africa. The World Community can thus put their purse in place of their pronouncements towards the development of Africa. The facilities could be held in Trust for the World by the United Nations.

The facilities built could be maintained properly and the maintenance cost could be shared by the News and Broadcast Media organizations which are the other beneficiaries of the Olympic Games.

The Games can be held in this venue every 4 years and in between the facilities could be rented out for other events. They could also be used for training budding African athletes and sports persons.

The regular holding of Games would bring funds into Africa and would be of immense benefit to the development there.

This could also remove all politics and commercialism from the Olympic Games in future and the Games could go back to their original intended goals of promoting friendship among the Nations of the World and sports excellence in different fields.

Any takers?