Having more international sporting events (such as the Olympic Games) may promote world peace.
(From IELTS-Daily.com)
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
International sporting competitions, such as the World Cup or the Olympic Games, bring fans and competitors together. Do they always promote positive values, and could they potentially be a catalyst for world peace? It is my view that, despite some minor issues relating to violence, these events can be extremely useful in promoting positive international relations.
It is first necessary to acknowledge that there are, indeed, some issues with these large sporting events. Hooliganism and violence are examples, and events at the Euro 2020 football contest highlight the issue. Soccer seems to be a sport that is plagued by fan violence, but I feel competition organisers are working hard to eradicate this.
Despite some pockets of antisocial behaviour, I believe that competitions such as the Olympic Games are extremely beneficial when it comes to promoting world peace. The main reason for this is that such competitions are held in different global locations and, as a result, committed fans frequently travel to places they would have never otherwise travelled to. This allows them to experience countries and cultures, learn about traditions and societies, and gain a deeper understanding of people around the world. This can surely only have positive effects in the future.
The benefits of these competitions do not only apply to the fans. Consider how the competitors themselves benefit from these events as they are exposed to counterparts from other countries and cultures, thus gaining a deeper insight into people they would have never met without such events. I recently watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Japan and was pleased to see so many countries walking harmoniously together.
In summary, international sporting events have a few limited issues around violence and inappropriate behaviour by fans. On the whole, however, they allow competitors and supporters to travel and to learn about other cultures and which, in my view, definitely encourage world peace.