Theme: Some countries invest in specialized training centers for top athletes rather than in public sports facilities. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
The sports sector is an exceedingly significant aspect in the comprehensive development of any country, as it primarily benefits the individual and the society as a whole in many respects. Hence, the issue of investments’ allocation for the sports sector is not entirely straightforward in terms of financing of specific training centers or public sports facilities. The vast amount of money from the state funding is increasingly being invested in specialized training centers as opposed to the support of the public sports facilities, which are estimated a relatively lower budget. It appears that the governmental precedence of training centers concentrated on top sportsmen in the form of investments rather than communal sporting facilities makes this counter-productive or quite negative improvement, regardless of the fact that funding of particular training centers may be admirable in some cases.
Arguably, the main argument would appear to be the disadvantageous long-term consequences on health of the overwhelming majority of population, especially the younger generation, who is, as a rule, predisposed the most to a broad spectrum of diseases, stemming from the modern lifestyle. It can be clearly demonstrated by statistics that in present-day world people tend to lead notoriously sedentary lifestyle, without engagement in energy-consuming physical activities thanks in no small part to technologies, which have infiltrated into virtually every aspect of individual`s life, dramatically altering the ways of living.
This being the case, governmental investments in training centers for high-ranked athletes instead of public sports accommodations for a wider audience may take a toll on people`s well-being, since they most likely would not attempt or even bother themselves to engage in physical activities, if authorities do not promote or finance sporting facilities or equipment. A further issue relates to the reduced level of involvement of children, adolescents and young adults in sports due to the increased preference for studies or jobs, which include particularly brain abilities than physical abilities unlike in the past few decades. Again, such tendency may cause inadequate development of health at an early age, subsequently, undermining the whole nation. Another point is that financing of sporting centers for high-end athletes can prevent various sports organizations from noticing capable beginning sportsmen, who tend to lack both opportunity and encouragement to attend specialized training centers. These promising beginners at sport would be able to reveal their talents and improve them further at public sports facilities, which are generally far affordable and available in comparison with the specialized training hubs.
Admittedly, state investments in specially designed training centers for adept athletes may be highly commendable progress when presenting a country on international sports contests, meaning that this would benefit native athletes, by allowing athletes to stay competitive and to exhibit high levels of sports skills in order to maintain the country`s appearance on global sports arena. However, overall health condition of the whole population proves to be the primary priority for governments, as the sporting awards could not prevent far-reaching consequences from the decline of population’s engagement in sport.
In conclusion, it seems that despite the benefits from investing on specialized training centers, this development is quite negative due to the pressing matters of population`s well-being, which has already been burdened by contemporary adverse lifestyle as well as a formidable obstacle on the way to finding beginning sports talents.