Topic: Using Global Sport as an Engine for Development
Country: Philippines
Delegate Name: Carter Mullins
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Philippines position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
The connection between global sports and spurring development in countries has existed for decades. Prominent worldwide sporting events like the Olympics have been held in countries such as the United States, Brazil, South Africa, and Russia not only as a means of entertainment, but as a stimulus for economic growth and spreading nationalism. These events are also used to spread the passion for the sport and to assess different fiscal or social problems surrounding the sport or event, such as overblown budgets and racism. For centuries, countries have strived to simultaneously put on a show for the world, flaunt their power, and bring in large revenue through global games. Often, these events spark a worldwide debate on a social issue, such as Jesse Owens’ brave run under Hitler’s nose in the 1936 Olympics, deep in the heart of Nazi Germany, or Vladimir Putin’s cruelty towards homosexual fans and athletes in Russia’s own 2014 Winter Olympics. The United Nations has worked to have countries achieve its Millennium Development Goals, or MDGs, which analyzes the role that sports play in UN programs and develops solutions based on the lessons. The UN has worked with high-profile celebrities, such as actors and musicians, to represent their countries in an effort to have the world achieve these MDGs and promote sustained development and peaceful relations through sporting events. Since the world has been introduced to the ever-changing digital landscapes of the 21st century, it becomes increasingly clear to economic analysts that using sporting events as a tool to connect youth and adults alike is not only beneficial to all parties involved, but absolutely necessary.
The Philippine islands are a natural location for various sporting events, with unique terrain and lush scenery that would attract many fans and tourists alike. Yet, it has only been recently that our country has begun to thoroughly analyze the effects of global sport on the economy and populace and what steps we need to take to establish ourselves as a powerhouse in the market. Organizations such as the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation have worked towards countrywide awareness of the importance of sports tourism. These organizations have also worked to establishing further connections with other countries to have our country spoken in the same breath as the United States or Brazilian teams. However, the lack of major financing for these projects has stalled what could be a lucrative opportunity to make the Philippines a powerhouse in global sports. While we have held international sporting events in the past, the connections between it and tourism has yet to be firmly established. A lack of understanding of the social and economic consequences, whether it be analyzing the relationships between athletes of different color or nationality or the revenue an international event would bring, has hurt our country’s chances of becoming a global powerhouse.
The question of how to solve this dilemma remains. While the Philippine Department of Tourism has worked tirelessly to bring economic prosperity through tourism, it does not yet have the power to bring about this change through sporting events. Few linkages have been made between the two, and thus our country has not heavily benefitted from both local and international sporting events like it should be. Our country must better analyze the economic and social connections between sports and tourism and work with benefactors to establish a better global market in sports. The Philippines can use these international sporting events as a means of promoting positive change in the world, proudly adding our name to the list of countries that work towards social equality and freedom. In order to make our country a global powerhouse in sporting events, we must work with our allies, specifically our new ally China. By creating a strong international sporting market, our country will be both more economically and socially prosperous, as well as promoting strong nationalism amongst our citizens.
