Rio de JaneiroMost of us whose attention has been focused on high school and college wrestling seasons -- and Olympic qualifying events -- may be only vaguely aware of some of these issues impacting the Rio Games, such as the Zika virus that has grabbed attention worldwide. Other questions -- such as "Will everything be ready on time?" -- are not uncommon of any host city, but they escalate especially in an Olympic year, and Rio is no exception.
Why does this all matter? In addition to approximately 10,000 athletes -- and a like number of media representatives -- an estimated half-million visitors will descend on Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics from August 5-21. Of those, 200,000 are expected to come from the U.S ... including wrestlers, coaches, their families, and fans.
Zika virus
It's almost impossible to avoid hearing about the Zika virus. The virus is disease that is spread to humans through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has issued travel alerts for a number of nations in the Americas, including Brazil, because of the Zika virus. While the disease can have symptoms much like the flu with no lasting effect for most infected individuals, the CDC states that the Zika virus infection in pregnant women is linked to serious medical conditions -- including microcephaly, a serious birth defect of the brain -- as well as miscarriages and other birth defects. The CDC has issued special recommendations for pregnant women (or women planning to become pregnant) traveling to the Olympics in Brazil, as well as their male partners.
Crime and safety
Brazil is statistically one of the world's most violent nations. The firearm-related death rate in Brazil ranks eighth in the world, with 18.79 homicides per 100,000 individuals. (By comparison, the U.S. has a gun-homicide rate of 3.43 deaths per 100,000.) Major slums with almost daily gun battles are adjacent to the Rio de Janeiro's international airport and the stadium hosting the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. Coupled with heightened concerns about terrorism in light of attacks in Brussels and Paris -- and the realization that the Olympics could be a potential target for similar attacks -- and some potential attendees of the Rio Games might decide it's simply safer to stay home and follow the action on TV or online.
Adding to a feeling of unease was the abrupt resignation last week of the national public security chief.
In its Brazil Crime and Safety Report for the Rio de Janeiro area, the U.S. State Department has given the host city for the 2016 Olympics a "Critical" crime rating. "Street crime is a problem especially in the evenings and late at night," said the report. "In Rio, robbery, assault, burglary and theft are concerns for foreigners and Brazilians alike. Criminals are determined and sophisticated, which requires visitors to be alert to their surroundings. Violent crimes (murder, kidnapping, carjacking, armed assault, and burglary) occur regularly. The consolidation of power among a few large criminal gangs has led to a decrease in gang-on-gang violence; however, this has resulted in an increased focus on civilian targets. Many criminals use weapons and often gratuitous violence."
To deal with these challenges, more than 85,000 police, soldiers and other personnel are being deployed in Rio for the two weeks of the Games. That's twice as many as were needed for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, according to Associated Press.
Brazil's economic and political crises
When the International Olympic Committee awarded the 2016 Games to Rio de Janeiro over fellow finalist Madrid, Spain in 2009, Brazil was enjoying a booming economy and political stability. Seven years later, the country is deep in recession, with various political scandals that could have a negative impact on this summer's Olympics and their attendees.
Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff faces impeachment; in fact, she may be forced out of office before the Olympics get underway. Adding to that uncertainty is what some economists consider the nation's most damaging recession in 85 years, which has forced deep cuts to the Olympic budget. From security to the opening ceremony and even facilities for athletes in the Olympic Village there is less to spend.
Specific to athlete and fan safety, the head of Rio de Janeiro's Public Safety Department told state legislators in late March that his department's budget has been cut 32 percent. That means there's not enough money to expand police "pacification" units in the violent slums near Rio's international airport. The units were to have been completed before the start of the Olympics.
Ready for the world?
Some past Olympics -- most notably, the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games -- incorporated existing facilities in an attempt to keep costs down and ensure that all venues would be competition-ready in time for the Opening Ceremonies. However, most of the facilities for the 2016 Rio Games were specifically designed and built new for this event. In any massive, multi-billion-dollar undertaking for a new-from-the-ground-up Olympics such as those in Rio, there are bound to be design and construction delays. While reports indicate that construction on the 10,000-seat wrestling venue has been completed and the facility will be ready for action in August, other sports facilities are not yet finished.
Venues for track and field, swimming, and cycling -- as well as an international media center --remained incomplete as of late February, according to USA Today. It is unclear whether a major public transit system upgrade designed to ease Rio de Janeiro's notorious traffic congestion will be ready for Olympic visitors.
Political scandals have had an impact on completion of Olympics construction projects and related infrastructure improvements, the website for Global Risk Insights reported. Companies involved in Olympics construction projects found themselves blocked from receiving bank loans and credit lines during the ongoing investigation of the current administration's scandal involving the government-owned oil company. This has forced Rio de Janeiro's city government to act as a bank and lend companies money to prevent an inevitable slowdown in construction. Despite their efforts, projects for the Olympics already have been delayed and sometimes halted; essential repairs on sewers in the city are going uncompleted.
Ticket sales
With the issues surrounding the 2016 Rio Games already mentioned, it's not hard to imagine that ticket sales have been far short of expectations.
Only 50 percent of tickets to the Olympics have sold so far, Rio 2016 Organizing Committee spokesman Phil Wilkinson revealed last Saturday. For the Paralympics which are being held in Rio immediately after the traditional Olympics, the figure is far worse: just 12 percent of available tickets have been sold.
Ricardo Leyser, just hired as Brazil's minister of sport, said plans are already in the works to boost ticket sales among Brazilians, adding, "There is a perception that the Brazilian population has not yet woken up for the Games. We are going to work energetically on this because it's still not in people's heads. We need to sound an alert so that people remember this event and go and buy tickets."
Stop me if you've heard this story before ...
Questions about Rio's readiness aren't a last-minute phenomenon.
In May 2014, some British newspapers were reporting that the International Olympic Committee was seriously thinking of moving the 2016 Olympics from Rio to London, host of the 2012 Summer Games, after an IOC vice-president declared Rio's preparations to be "worst ever" the month before.
The IOC was quick to deny and dismiss the rumors.
"This is simply a non-starter -- totally without foundation and totally unfeasible. Not a shred of truth," said an IOC spokeswoman in response to those media reports from two years ago. Another IOC source said the story was "total rubbish".
Some perspective
Putting on a party as huge as the Olympics is a costly, complex, time-consuming undertaking under any circumstances. Right now, Brazil is facing a host of challenges that make hosting the 2016 Games that much harder.
That said, other host Olympic cities have dealt with problems of their own ... and the Games went on.
Just two years ago, media reports coming out of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia were focused on cost overruns, venues and accommodations that had not been completed on time, transportation snafus, and uncooperative weather. Similar stories have sprung from coverage of past Olympic events. There were reports from the 2004 Athens Games of workers doing last-minute painting and seat installation in the wrestling venue on the first day of competition.
Despite various challenges, Rio de Janeiro has considerable experience with mega-events -- and welcoming guests from around the world with gracious hospitality -- over the years. The city has successfully hosted New Year's celebrations and Carnival -- each attracting upwards of one-and-a-half million participants -- for decades. We can only hope that the Rio Games will continue that colorful, fun-filled spirit in welcoming the world's athletes and their fans this August.
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