International Olympic Committee Vice-President John Coates spoke at the Australian Olympic Committee’s meeting on May 7th, discussing the importance of keeping a positive outlook on the upcoming Rio Games. According to The Australian, Rio’s organizers have received lots of criticism lately due to the difficulties in the set-up with the Games. For example, the Olympic village and the Olympic Park are split up across the city, which creates difficulties for spectators.
Leandro Negre asked the international committees to abstain from continuing to criticize Rio’s committee, as it is important to shed a positive light on the city with the upcoming Olympic Games: “The message we have received from the IOC is that you have to say everything is fine because if you don’t say that you will create bigger problems,”. Negre communicated that the criticism would only cripple the city further, and it’s important to show optimism for the city as preparations for the games are finalized.
In addition to difficulties with the Olympic venues being separated, Rio has faced criticism from others due to other problems with preparations for the games. For instance, in May of 2015, the Rio Olympic construction workers went on strike, refusing to continue working without a raise. Another problem includes the mosquito infestation that has taken place in the Olympic warm-up pool, which is a threat to athletes because of the Zika virus that is spread by mosquitoes.
The construction of the venues has also been behind schedule, which will affect both spectators and athletes. For example, the water polo venue has been delayed and will not be ready in time for the games in August. Also, because the venues are split across the city, spectators will have to travel a large distance. There was supposed to be a motorway and a train built to transport spectators to the different venues, but will not be ready in time for the games.
In addition to these problems, some of the key venues for the games do not have running water or electricity, and the budget for Rio is tight, forcing the IOC to make cuts, including dropping the amount of volunteers and eliminating expenses such as having TVs in the athletes’ rooms at the Olympic village. Four moths out from the games, only half of the tickets have been purchased due to the country’s current political turbulence, and traveler’s concerns for their own safety.
Because of these issues, Rio has received outcries of criticism from fans, athletes, and other countries’ Olympic committees.
The IOC goes out of its way to prove just how corrupt they really are. Don’t criticize swimming in sewage for open water, you have to be kidding me.
I am going to watch from the safety of my air conditioned house as I eat my home cooked dinner 700pm west coast time???? Seems pretty Safe to me
I think for the swimmers they had the Brazilian qualifying meet and a Paralympic meet at the aquatic center and we no reports of anything serious?
This is terrible.
I suggest that the American team all stay away from Rio because I would hate to see any single one exposed to any less than 100% safe space .
People I am only thinking of your welfare & that of future Americans who could be born years into the future . Truly I am.
signed Gina .
The world’s elite athletes deserve better. I feel for athletes in open water events and swimmers using the warm up pool. I really hate cover ups, fraud, abuse of power, and not addressing/fixing the real issues.
IOC Vice-President John Coates sounds like one of those “snowflakes” found on some college campuses today who don’t want any dissent from their preferred way of looking at things.
Maybe Coates needs a “safe space” to protect himself from hearing criticism!
LOL – Does this include the Harvard Health Review? (look it up)
This could get really tricky…
Here’s a “what if” for your consideration: An American athlete – a woman – goes to Rio and a year or so later, gets pregnant. The child is born with pediatric microcephaly (The tiny head birth defect.) What role does the USOC and/or the IOC have in providing for that child?
They could, of course, claim that the athlete knew the risks – which they all do – and chose to go any way so they’re off the hook. Good luck with that, though! They’d be massacred in the media! An incident like this would a doping scandal look like a book club meeting by comparison.
NBC will still try to give the impression that everything is lollipops and candy canes and pretty kittens. Just watch.
And count on Bob Costas to try to do his part and make everything epic.
LOL LOL YES! Good one, Baldingeagle.
The awesome thing about Bob Costas is that he can say some wonderfully snarky things in a rather deadpan way and totally get away with it.