Sport is often hailed as a good thing, a way to bring people together, to keep fit etc. But have any serious studies of these accepted facts been made? The evidence that has come to my attention over the years is all pretty much negative.

Huge amounts of energy are expended by teams and fans travelling miles to events and leaving behind them piles of litter and a big bill to the local law enforcement agencies who have had to police the event.

Injury rates amongst sports people are very high – more expense to the National Health Service.

Aggressive behaviour by fans to other fans and to the general public is frequent.

Football is by far the worst offender, at many international events woman are trafficked in to provide for the demand for sex by travelling fans. Meanwhile families at home are often left short of funds because it has been spent on tickets, travel and booze. Often Woman are on the receiving end of any violence from alcohol fuelled partners whose team has lost.

Given that probably around 40% of the population do follow football, then although it would be unwise to try to ban it but it should be taxed heavily and some of the money raised be used to try to negate some of the problems described above.

I have just been watching the Olympics and it was very inspiring to see what the human body and mind can achieve. But despite that massive amount of money and energy used to construct the venues and transport people to them, the years of training and effort by the athletes not one crop was planted or harvested, not one shelter built or well dug in short nothing of any real practical use was achieved.

How about the developed countries bid to be the Olympic organisers and non-developed countries bid to become the hosts. A new town (Olympic village) and all its infrastructure is created for the host country and events are organised around their needs – such as competitive irrigation ditch and well digging. Tree planting, human powered ploughs the possibilities are endless allowing fit young people to compete for national glory and medals whilst achieving something that’s actually useful to the world.