Rio de Janeiro is not ready for the Olympics, and the IOC is to blame, by Sally Jenkins, is an interesting read. I don’t know if it’s as dire as she makes it sound (or maybe I hope it isn’t) but I think she deservedly nails the IOC.
There is only one reason the IOC doesn’t do the prudent reasonable thing and postpone or move the Rio Games: money. The right thing is to get a grip on Zika, finish venues properly without being fleeced at the mercy of contractors and launch an environmental cleanup. But too much cash and loss of face is at stake for sponsors and organizers. So they will double down on a risky bet and let it ride.
At least some of this financial risk is due to corruption. According to a report from the Institute of Modern Russia, about a third of Sochi’s budget was lost to graft. Two Rio government officials have been accused of — and denied — engaging in bribery schemes around Rio’s new $2.7 billion rail line.
Bribery and corruption scandals seem to be the norm for recent games.
This is the real Olympic game: cash. Ask yourself a question: Why doesn’t the IOC ever go back to cities that have built-and-paid-for Olympic structures?
That’s the problem. Rotating host cities are a good idea in theory, instead of making all of that investment for a once in lifetime event, but why would the IOC give up such a money making goldmine as the Olympic host city “bidding process” every 4 years?
The IOC declares that Rio is ready because 44 test events have been held there — neglecting to mention that competitors in some of those events have been stricken by rashes and vomiting from the trash and raw human feces flowing into Guanabara Bay, the toilet bowl of Rio. Or that a group of Brazilian scientists this week detected a drug-resistant super-bacteria growing off the beaches that can cause meningitis and pulmonary, gastro and bloodstream infections — or that a dismembered foot recently washed up near the volleyball venue.
I feel for the athletes. You’ve trained for most of your life for these games, and you get this and Zika.
I grew up loving the games, even hoping my city/area would win a bid for them. Today, not so much.