Abalinoa To Hold The Olympic Torch?
The Issue
Enthusiastic sports fans have been petitioning the government all week to apply for the much-coveted honour of hosting the next Regional Olympics. While most citizens are excited at the prospect of a CFCopia-wide competition in their own country, some have expressed reservations about the enormous expense hosting would incur.
The Debate
1. "WAHAAAAY!" screams Hack Barry, captain of Svälbard's premier division ballroom dancing team. "Finally, a chance to show the world exactly how great I am! Everybody's always complaining that Abalinoa never does well in sports and you know why? It's because we're never in front of the home crowd, that's why! We're going to need a great big stadium! No! TWO stadiums! WHOOP! OL-YM-PICS! OL-YM-PICS!"
2. "Oh great," mutters Hack Johnson, spokesperson for the Angry Taxpayer Society. "That's all we need, more things to pour money into for no obvious reason. Surely it would be easier to just let another country host the Olympics and keep the cash? Then maybe it could go to something useful, like, I don't know... my wallet?"
3. "We'd be missing an amazing opportunity if we pass this up," says Jazz Shiomi, your Minister of Sports. "But we've got to be in it to win! Simply building new stadia won't be enough, we need to be funding new sports centres and hiring the best coaches for our entrants! You could put more money into public facilities too, like gyms or something. Then no one can accuse you of wasting everyone's tax Guineas, ha ha. Ha."
4. "There's nothing like a feat of strength to please the dull-witted masses, is there?" sighs Clint Chicago, flipping through 'One Hundred Gambits for Advanced Go Players'. "It's so boring. Why can't more intellectual pursuits be given the spotlight, like chess or debating matches? Ban organised sports and make our dreams come true! I think you'll find it comes at a far lower price than the populist Olympics ever will."
