Some people think that national sports teams and individual men and women who represent their country should be financially supported by the government. However, others argue that they should be funded by non-government sources (e.g. Business, scholarships, etc.). Discuss both views and give your opinion.

It is irrefutable that sports holds fascination for almost everyone and winning a game in international sports events such as the World Cup or the Olympic Games is a matter of national honour. It is a highly debatable issue whether the sports team or sportsmen who represent their country should be funded by governments or NGOs. In the following paragraphs I intend to delve into the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches.

The reason why national teams and individual athletes representing a country should be funded by the government is that, first of all, they compete against opponents from all over the globe in international sports events for the whole nation. When they break a record or set up a new record in a world-class tournament, they inspire national pride and arouse patriotism among its citizens. Moreover, they also play a diplomatic function in competitions. They act as brand ambassadors for their country and behaviour helps strengthen the relations between countries and also improve their nation’s image.

Those in favour of NGOs funding the national sports teams argue that this would ease some burden off the government’s shoulders. Moreover, these businesses are profit driven so they would provide the best coaching and facilities to their teams. The reason why they support a team or player is that they want to make use of their market influence to promote their products or services. So, they also get something back by doing so.

I believe that it would be better for government to support the teams because the less popular teams and athletes, who are equally important, are ignored by the businesses and organisations. Without stable financial support available, they would not be able to concentrate on training, and they would not remain dedicated to their sports. Besides, it is still controversial for some industries such as tobacco industry to sponsor sporting events.

To sum up, national sports teams and individual players standing for a nation should be financially supported by the government to achieve the desired performance.