No more debts for big sporting events

The Greek debt crisis started with the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, according to economist Victor Matheson, who examines the economic impact of major sporting events. The liberal-conservative daily Le Monde points to this analysis to support Uefa president Michel Platini's proposal not to have just one country host the European Football Championship from 2020, but to spread it across 12 or 13 cities with a suitable infrastructure."Why don't we implement the idea in 2016 [at the next European Championship in France]? Only misplaced pride would argue for organising the European Cup along strictly national lines no matter what the cost. The parliament of the Calais Nord-Pas region has wisely decided against the costly renovation of the Bollaert stadium in Lens. We can only hope that politicians in other regions are equally determined to de-nationalise the Football Championship and use public funds sensibly instead of over-stretching their budgets."

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