Indonesia's plan of economic uptick due to Asian Games is hope against hope

Lee Kah WhyePalembang [Indonesia], August 26 (ANI): The 18th edition of the Asian Games which is currently ongoing and co-hosted by the cities of Jakarta and Palembang, is arguably the largest multi-sports event in the world. Over 11,000 athletes from 46 countries are taking part in 40 sports. India has sent a contingent of 570 athletes who have done well in wrestling, rowing, tennis and shooting. Unfortunately, cricket was cut from the Games when the number of sports was whittled down from 42 to 40 to help the organisers contain costs.The last summer Olympic Games in Rio saw more than 11,000 participants from 205 countries in 28 sports.Based on a University of Oxford study by Flyvbjerg & Stewart, since 1960, debt and massive cost overruns have characterised hosting of major games. This is with the exception of the Los Angeles Games of 1984 where the re-use of existing facilities and an unexpected spike in broadcast revenue - up almost four-fold from Moscow in 1980 - helped turn ..