Essays

IELTS Task 2 Example-International Sports Event(C1)

Some people think that hosting an international sports event is good for the country, while some people think it is bad. Discuss both views and state your opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

An international sports event is an important issue as well as a heated topic of discussion for countries worldwide, and even more so for the country hosting it. However, while most people would anticipate the competition and spectacle the event offers, there exists a debate about whether the drawbacks of hosting an international sports event outweigh the advantages.

A widely recognized sports event would bring in huge numbers of tourists as well as media attention from all over the world, thus generating profit for the country's economy. For example, the 2016 Olympics in Rio were reported to have positive economic impacts on both the city of Rio de Janeiro and its wider metropolitan area as the tourism industry flourished under the influence of the event.

On the other hand, the enormous budget required for years of renovation and preparation beforehand counts as a massive liability to the host of the sports event, especially in developing countries that might not be able to afford the costs. That along with several other complications like overcrowding, pollution, and more pose as tough dilemmas for the host to solve. For example, the recent coronavirus pandemic caused Tokyo to cancel the 2020 Olympics entirely, in turn shutting off almost all benefits and potential tourism income the country expected to gain.

However, with enough preparation in addition to a sturdy economy, I believe that most problems of hosting an international sports event could be successfully overcome. In general, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks in the end, especially when it comes to the profit for the hosting country.