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The Beijing Winter Olympics are receiving a lot of criticism, both for their cost and their environmental impact. However, the previous Games, whether Summer or Winter, have never really been examples.
Officially, Beijing announces that it has spent $3.9 billion to organize the 2022 Winter Olympics. Business Insider conducted the investigation and estimates the total cost at ten times more. Let’s not talk about the environmental disaster of the Winter Olympics without snow.
Images of the ski jump have been making the rounds on social media this week:
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In the facts, the organization has installed some 300 snow cannons on the different routes. Enough to engulf 185 million liters of water, while the region is particularly in need of blue gold.
Can the Olympics be profitable? This is announced by each organizing city/country, which sees significant economic benefits in terms of tourism and notoriety. But these same organizers often tend to underestimate the initial costs. It is true for London Olympics estimated at 4 billion euros but which cost 12 billion. It’s true for the Tokyo Olympics amounted to 7.3 billion dollars but which cost 15.4 billion dollars.
A study by the Sport+Markt firm, however, estimates that since 1980, the organization of the Olympics has brought in more than it has cost. But it all depends on the numbers you want to take. If a train line is installed, should it be taken into account in the calculation? There is a difference between functional costs and structural costs, and organizers have always wanted to show the figures that suit them.
Not to mention the abandoned facilities. They are the rule, more than the exception.
Rio 2016
Beijing 2008
Athens 2004
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The Beach Volleyball court – Isopix.
Sarajevo 1984
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Sarajevo Winter Olympics Ski Jump – AP Photo/Amel Emric/Isopix
Grenoble 1968
Cortina 1956
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