Olympics Athletes, A Waste Of Money?

Question

I don't get it at all, why is it deemed value for money to spend 100's of millions of pounds on a few (being compared to size of population) athletes. It seems like we spends all this money to feed the egos and ambitions of people who only go on to make lots of personal cash, its not like they pay it back, but if you are a student you pay through the nose. I am not even going to go on about the waste of television license fees covering it..

The whole thing about lifting the nation does not wash here..or the helping the sport line, it should be self financing, we spend more on sport for them than famine relief to some countries

Answer 1

It's more important than you think

Answer 2

well some countries like GB need more funding considering they are consistently bad at sports. Well that changed for once in Beijing. Maybe they wont be depressed post Beijing after watching thier rugby, football and cricket teams earlier on and in the past.

But I do agree, people are living in poverty while some countires feed there athletes millions.  

Answer 3

You obviously haven't watched Football lately!!

I am definitely towards the funding of athletes because they need it, especially when they are young because they cannot have proper jobs so they cannot get paid.  

Answer 4

Do you not watch football then, what about the overpaid ego maniacs in that eh???

And a matter of fact, athletes are not rich, Chris Hoy drives about in a second hand beemer.  A lot of athelets have to struggle to get sponsors.

So what kind of world would it be if we did not have big sporting events like, olympics, football, rugby, proffessional golf etc etc.......where is the relief from other countries to us???  

Britian give billions of pounds a year to charities etc, so you are talking out of your tree hugging hole.

Answer 5

CHINA is not waste money is already CHAMPION Beijing 2008 olympic games.

Answer 6

its like asking why tax payers funds go towards funding the drop-dead wankers on the dole... all they do is sit around doing drugs. the athletes however act as role models - what they do is inspirational to alot of people. and don't pull that 'they don't pay it back' bullshit. they represent their countries with pride.

do you understand the amount of time and effort goes in to representing your country at such an elite level?