IELTS Academic Writing – Task-2 Sample

International events such as the Olympics, the World Cup, Asian Games, and other such events are incredible opportunities for not just the hosting country but also, for the participating countries. These global spectacles provide a country with an economic windfall or expose it to a public relations disaster. I strongly agree to the view that international events depicts the qualities of hosting nation. 

First of all, hosting such global events brings with it the attention of global media that helps in promoting the hosting nations’ capabilities. The pitfall of it includes negative coverage, such as controversial news from those country which otherwise would have been ignored. For example, the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, not only brought media spotlight on the participants but also highlighted the polemic legislation regarding homosexuality. Therefore, apart from the international recognition, the country also faced backlash.

Secondly, the expense of building large infrastructures necessary to hold these events can, at times, supersede the benefits, unless there are adequate plans of using those after the event. This is largely due to the fact that stadiums, Olympic parks, games village etcetra., requires a large capital expenditure, invariably from the respective government and their public sector undertakings. This helps these public sectors to gain global visibility.

In the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002, the council commissioned a stadium for athletic events which was later adapted and sold to a pre-eminent football club, Manchester City. With proper, economic management of such buildings and facilities the cost can be recovered.

To conclude, I agree that a host city or nation has a lot to gain from these events yet, at the same time, ensure proper economic model for the usage of such infrastructure, thus built, for continued economic viability.