Abuja Welcomes the World to the 37th Olympics
September 11, 2040 - There are only a couple of days left to the grand opening of the 37th Olympic Games in Abuja in Nigeria this Friday. It is the second time Africa is hosting the Olympics, and the organizers feel confident that it will be the best games ever.
The opening is promised to present "the richness and flavors that Nigeria and Africa have to offer". The big happening during the opening will be the 16 meters high 3-D projected Nigerian dancers that will swing across the field, accompanied by thousands human ones. They also promise a couple of special surprises for the opening party.
As any major sports event this has also been preceded by the questions of doping and the way to fight it, but we can only hope that these games will be as clean as possible. No more sports have been added for these Olympics, so the newest ones are still climbing and windsurfing.
The closing of the games will be on September 30, the day before Nigeria celebrates 80 years as an independent nation.
Argument: Africa is still the only continent (except Antarctica) that hasn't hosted the Olympic Games but will most likely do so for the first time around year 2024 or 2028. The African countries that have the best chances in getting the Olympics are South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, Morocco and Kenya. If the first African Olympics become a success there will most likely follow another one on the continent soon after.
Questions: The most countries that have hosted the summer Olympics have already been established tourist destinations for people from Europe and the US. Will the Olympics in the African countries inspire to a wave of tourists? In what other way will hosting of major sports event, like the World Cup in Soccer year 2010 to be held in South Africa, affect Africa?
By Pontus Edenberg
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Comments:
South Africa has hosted many international sporting events, the Rugby world cup in 1995, the ICC Cricket world cup, and will in 2010 host the soccer world cup, the benefits of this is obviously foreign investment, local job creation and economic development, however the direct benefit to South Afric's neighbours and the rest of Africa will be minimal in my opinion.
South Africa is currently facing a huge crisis with illegal immigrants streaming into the country. The problem is that their countries are not developing, or in fact stagnating and even declining like Zimbabwe. A combined continental world cup or olympics may be a better solution, like what they have in Europe where teams are not only based in different towns, but countries, playing in stadiums across the continent, spreading the foreigh income. Economic and political integration is inevitable in Africa, and will be the best way to uplift this continent.
Posted by: Marius Vorster