IELTS Writing Task 2: Sports Facilities
Some countries invest in specialized sports facilities for top athletes but not for the average people.
Is this a positive or negative development?
Heavy investment in sports facilities aimed at professional athletes is common in countries that want to compete in international events. This is a positive development for national pride but negative on the whole as it takes funding away from the average citizen.
Proponents of this practice would argue that it brings the nation together. The best examples of this relate to international competitions like the summer and winter Olympics. China and the United States have famously invested millions in building sports facilities for prospective Olympians and the results in terms of medals justify the expenditure. The wider implications for national unity come from an entire country watching the telecasts and rooting together. Divisive domestic disputes are temporarily forgotten as everyone focuses on the progress of their country. Much of this would be impossible without specialised sports facilities for the best competitors.
However, these facilities benefit a select few over the majority. Funding for such facilities is a limited part of a federal budget that must cover essential areas like health, education, and the military. Any money diverted towards preparing world-class athletes for international competitions is to some extent a waste as it cuts into the budget for facilities for average people. For example, many inner city youths in poorer neighborhoods lack access to parks and such facilities and this has been identified as one of the factors that allows for poverty to be inherited over generations. Direct the funding away from these expensive gyms for top athletes and it would be possible to build many more facilities that serve a much wider and underserved segment of the population.
In conclusion, despite the less tangible benefits to national cohesiveness, this a negative on level as it favours a talented minority. More resources should be allocated towards facilities for those in greater need.
VOCABULARY
- heavy investment a lot of money put into
- aimed at for
- compete in international events the Olympics, World Cup, etc.
- national pride caring about your country
- negative on the whole bad on level
- takes funding away from diverts money from
- average citizen normal person
- proponents advocates
- practice development
- brings the nation together unifies the country
- international competitions Olympics, World Cup, etc.
- summer and winter Olympics held every 4 years either in the summer or winter
- famously invested millions well-known put lots of money into
- prospective Olympians potential Olympic athletes
- justify the expenditure good reason for the money
- wider implications larger effects
- national unity bringing a country together
- entire country whole nation
- telecasts TV broadcasts
- rooting wanting to win
- divisive domestic disputes dividing arguments in a country
- temporarily not permanent
- focuses on directed towards
- progress moving forward
- much of this a lot of
- specialised sports facilities just for doing sports
- best competitors strongest athletes
- a select few some of
- majority most of
- limited part small piece of
- federal budget money the government has to spend
- cover essential areas have money for important parts
- diverted towards sent in the direction of
- world-class athletes best sports people
- to some extent to a degree
- waste not used well
- cuts into takes away from
- inner city youths kids living in the city
- lack access can’t go to
- identified pinpointed
- one of the factors one element
- poverty to be inherited over generations families staying poor over time
- direct send towards
- wider broader
- underserved don’t get enough
- less tangible benefits not as concrete advantages
- national cohesiveness brings a country together
- on level overall
- favours benefits
- talented minority just some people with a lot of ability
- resources money, time, etc.
- allocated sent to
- greater need more important for
