“The entire funding model for Olympic sport is broken. The IOC generates now over US$1.7 billion per year and they refuse to pay athletes who attend the Olympics,”
The model for high level sports is entirely extractive, the IOC gets billions and the athletes risk serious injury for nothing.
Olympics does indirectly contribute to society. Countries who want pole positions invest more in sports programs, school participation for sport grows. generally more competition events are organized for picking the best players to represent. There are more sport facilities for athletes to train. Those facilities employ all kind of employees to operate.
And most people love sports afaik. That’s contribution in itself.
The olympic committee however rakes in all the profit off of the name, just like FIFA World Cup.
So, I do have more respect for olympic athletes than football players. Most top football players are full of themselves and will suck a dictators dick to rake in more money.