The Multi-Faceted Success of the 2010 FIFA World Cup & Commonwealth Games: Can Sports Change the World?
All over the world, there are differing opinions about the impact that sports can have towards large scale development projects or even social and economic change. Some believe that sport is simply a way for people to take part in some competitive activity and has nothing to do with the world at large. Others truly believe that a major sporting event or a grassroots sports programme can change the lives of people and bring about economic prosperity in a country. If we look deeply into the world of sports as it relates to economic and social change, we can find numerous examples of countries and places where it has really made a difference.
If we were to look to find examples of the positive aspects of sports, we can find many, just as we can find a large number of examples of the negative elements of sport as well. On the positive side, we can find events like the Olympic Games in China boosting the economy and opening it up to the world. We also find examples like the Homeless World Cup, which has managed to reduce homelessness in 70% of its participants along with many others. On the other hand, we find things like hooliganism, corruption, scandals and brawling being associated with sports. But at the end of the day, sports have a huge positive effect on the world and its fans otherwise it would not be around.
There have been numerous studies conducted about the economic and social aspects of sport and the results have been very interesting. The World Economic Forum in Davos commissioned a study into the economic benefits of sports. The study found that in any country, at any given time, sports programmes can lead to improved health among the population, disease prevention, and community building. Besides these benefits, a large scale sporting event also has the benefit of ‘resource mobilisation, massive investment in infrastructure such as buildings and stadiums and also job creation.’ These factors have a direct impact on the economic health of a country or a city in which a big event takes place.
This was witnessed firsthand recently in the economic boost that South Africa received from hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The country and its citizens benefited from the massive global event on numerous levels; social development, economic upheaval and even tourism. The same can also be said, but to a much smaller scale, about Delhi, which is currently hosting the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Besides the allegations of corruption, shoddy building work and the beggars being kicked off the city streets, the event still managed to boost the economy of the city and of the whole country.
Another report claimed that the sports industry contributed 2% of global GDP. It also had the potential to boost other sectors as mentioned above, such as the building and materials sector, public investment and even social development and poverty reduction.
Sport has also been linked to a global movement for social change and peaceful resolution to conflicts all around the world. Numerous studies have been conducted that show that implementing grassroots sports programmes in developing countries can have a direct impact on the levels of poverty and also inequality and development. Sport has the power to break down barriers and equalise people all in the pursuit of a common goal.
Soon it may also be that sports leaders around the world will be able to influence social policy for the good of the planet and all the people on it. The Jordanian Olympic Committee President, Prince Feisal stated in a speech recently that he “envisage(s) a time soon when international thought leaders in sport for social development and peace ... can really influence global policy.” He feels that we are not there yet, but one day very soon it could be that sports and global sports programmes are at the forefront of changing the world for the better.
The reason why this can happen is because unlike politics or the private sector, taking part in a sport does not require money or an education and so it opens it up from the richest in society to the poorest of the poor and everyone in between. It has a unifying and egalitarian effect on people and in the next few years sport could be at the front of a global movement for social and economic change.
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