Judging by the bidding history from recent years, wealthier countries are still very keen to host. Spain, Japan, Germany, the US and other rich countries have a

Judging by the bidding history from recent years, wealthier countries are still very keen to host. Spain, Japan, Germany, the US and other rich countries have all made repeated bids to host. I think the IOC like to give the games to poorer countries like Brazil and China because it helps to spread the Olympic "brand", and encourage interest and participation in more parts of the world. Or maybe its just because poorer countries provide more opportunities for graft. If the IOC are serious about fixing this issue, they should: 1. Require all bidding cities to have the necessary non-sporting infrastructure in place before making an official bid. E.g. You can propose to build stadiums and athlete villages as part of the bidding process, but not extend metros, clear slums, build highways, etc. There could be a rolling programme whereby the IOC evaluates potential host cities and determines whether they meet the eligibility requirements. 2. Require and enforce strict cost controls on each bid, relative to the potential host country's finances. E.g. the bid cannot exceed a particular % of the country's GDP, or involve incurring national debt beyond a certain level. 3. Conduct regular reviews into the progress and cost of preparations for hosting. In the event of safety problems or significant cost overruns, the venue should be switched. Every Games should have a contingency plan for hosting a cut-down version in a country with existing infrastructure, if the actual host proves unable to meet the promises and estimates made during the bidding process.