Displacement and debt: The hidden costs of hosting the Olympics

After Tokyo shelled out billions of dollars to host events that spectators weren’t allowed to attend, researchers and activists argue the financial and human cost of hosting the Olympic Games may outweigh the benefits.

The Tokyo Paralympic Games kick off on Tuesday, and like the Olympic Games before them, will feature events taking place with no spectators in the stands due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. It’s estimated that Japan spent more than $15bn preparing for the Olympics over the past decade — double initial estimates — all for games that almost no one was able to attend. Yet even that hefty bill doesn’t factor in the true cost of hosting the games, activists say.