Football Olympics:
Soccer or as it is referred in other countries football is one of the most popular games across the world with over 4 billion admirers. Football is one of the most popular sports across the world and is played in more than 200 countries and has got long history since the ancient period. The inclusion of Football into the Olympics has for instance been a subject of discussion among people for decades. Football Olympics is briefly explained below, and the potential impact of the program’s inclusion is also discussed.
Football history In the Olympics
Association football was included as a demonstration sport for men in the 1900 and 1904 Olympics. It is very important to understand that back then the sport had a different set of rules and was played in a totally different format than it is today around the world. Football was later removed from the Olympics and it has not formed part for the event since then.
The success of women’s football led the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include it in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as a demonstration event with celebrity national teams including the United States and Norway. It created much interest and made way for women football to be included in the official games in the subsequent 2012 Olympics in London.
Arguments for Inclusion
There are several compelling reasons why bringing football officially into the Olympic fold could be hugely beneficial.There are several compelling reasons why bringing football officially into the Olympic fold could be hugely beneficial:
– Popularity –Since football is the most viewed sporting activity internationally, football Olympics would definitely attract alot of attention and views making the Olympics more prestigious.
– Revenue – The money that would be generated through broadcasting and sponsoring football could significantly increase the revenues for Olympics. Another giant of global sports, FIFA, has estimated over $5 billion was generated through the 2018 Men’s Football World Cup.
– Gender Equality – there is already women’s football as part of Olympics and adding the most followed men’s football will be a step in the right direction on matters on gender representation in sporting events.
– Global Platform – Olympics remain relevant to the present time as they help to unite people across the globe with the help of sport. Top nations in football would make it extend participation and access across the globe.
Challenges Facing Inclusion
While the prospects of Football Olympics look promising, there are complex hurdles in the way.While the prospects of Football Olympics look promising, there are complex hurdles in the way:
– Organization – The football season opposes the Olympic season; thus, the premier athletes can be unavailable leading to a downgrade of quality.
– FIFA Opposition – The governing body FIFA has not supported the Olympic inclusion so as to safeguard the interests of World Cup and other events it organises as the pinnacle footballing competitions.
Pedigree of Football Olympics has been an age-long controversy with no end to it because of football’s unarguable prominence internationally. The list of challenges could be as follows: Eradicating the abovementioned barriers may help make football an integral part of a genuinely inclusive and highly compound Olympic celebration of sport.