Compared with proffering sports facilities for common people, some countries lay more emphasis on the construction of professional facilities for elite sportsmen in order to succeed internationally. When talking about the merit and demerit of this development, I think the former may weigh far higher than the latter.
The benefits of this tendency can be perceived in many aspects. First and foremost, to cultivate more exceptional professional players plays a role in raising a nation’s status in the international arena and thus acquiring economic profit.If given training bases equipped with the latest devices and technology, the sportsmen are more competent to get the triumph on an international stage. The exalting glory proves the great competitiveness in sports and helps a country to stand more opportunities of biding for some major international sports events such as Olympic Games and Football World Cup. Not only do these events serve as the ideal platform to present a nation’s unique strengths, but also generate enormous economic value through the ticket sales, accommodation and visitor consumption. Moreover, hard-won success can also fulfill the educational function of the general public. There is no exaggeration to say that a champion in one important sports event never fails to inspire the citizens’ patriotism. The winner can set a role model for numerous youngsters who can learn some valuable characteristics from their hero such as diligence, self-discipline, persistence and so forth.
On the downside, the allocation of fiscal budget on advanced sports facilities designed for boosting the performance of professional players may only benefit a small group of people. It is common sense that the money from tax-payers should be spent for the interests of majority of the public. Besides, the inaccessibility of sufficient public sports facilities can be partially responsible for the decline of public enthusiasm for body-building.
To conclude, I believe it is worth advocating for countries to place value on nurturing professional athletes and providing them with cutting-edge facilities considering the economic and educational benefits. Meanwhile, these sporting venues should be open for the common occasionally so as to promote the public participation.
