The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil are drawing nearer. With the Olympics beginning August 5, athletes and spectators are questioning their attendance to the games.
The concerns include Zika virus, unsanitary conditions, terrorism and high crime rates, as well as the continually crashing economy.
“Brazil’s economy is gyrating. The country is suffering its worst recession since the 1930s. All three major rating agencies have downgraded Brazil’s investment-grade credit rating. Add the Zika virus and you have a recipe for gridlock. Against this backdrop, the 2016 Rio Olympics have been relegated to mere afterthought,” Jules Boykoff from LA Times said.
Additionally, thousands have been evicted from their homes in Rio in order to create space for the stadiums and public facilities. The Deodoro Olympic Complex is hosting eleven sports and over 6,000 families have either been threatened of eviction or had their homes demolished to create the stadium. The demolition has caused a spark public outrage and concern.
“It looks more like a war zone than a neighborhood,” Andrea Florence of Terre de Hommes which is adjacent to the Olympic Park said.
The increasing number of obstacles is creating a fear or Rio of whether they will be prepared, or even if will be worth it in the end.
Despite the fans refusal to attend the games, athletes are beginning to put their feet down on the matter as well. Females and male athletes alike are refusing to go to the games because of concerns of illness and dangerous conditions.
"No one should go to Brazil if they don't feel comfortable going; bottom line," Donald Anthony president and board chairman of USA Fencing team said.
Zika virus is taking its toll on the female. Many athletes who had been planning on competing have decided to not attend the games in fear of threatening a future family. For mothers who become infected with virus Zika poses the threat of having a child born with birth defects. Birth defects include brain damage such as microcephaly, a smaller head. The New Zealand Olympic Committee is advising “expectant mothers” or “planning pregnancy” not to travel to Rio this coming summer.
“It’s not even a tough call at all. We train for four years for the Olympics. That’s our lives. It’s a huge honor to be representing your country. But first and foremost is your family, and especially your little one. . . . If anything, being a mother now makes you really feel for all the victims. It’s such a tragedy. When you have a little one, it makes you think more emotionally on those things,” Kim Rhodes who competed in volleyball in London said in USAToday.com. Not only Zika virus is pushing competitors away, other safety concerns are making athlete’s second guess going to Rio. Athletes competing in water sports such as sailing and open water swimming will be in water that is contaminated with sewage and garbage. Hundreds of tons of untreated waste enters the Guanabara Bay every year. Viral levels at offshore sampling sights were reported to be 300,000 times higher than what would be deemed safe in the U.S. or Europe.
"The levels of viruses are so high in these Brazilian waters that if we saw those levels here in the United States on beaches, officials would likely close those beaches," Kristina Mena an expert in waterborne viruses at University of Texas Health Science Center said.
Shortly after sailors completed practice runs in the bay this past August, multiple were diagnosed with MRSA, a flesh eating bacteria. The bacteria was contracted from the water, and in order to prevent further illness in the upcoming games, sailor Erik Heil has decided to wear a plastic body suit to shield himself from the water. The Word Rowing Federation reported that 6.7 percent of their 567 rowers fell ill after competing in August as well.
"A gold medal is not worth jeopardizing your health right now there are too many questions. I don't see safety. It doesn't appear at this point that the athletes are being thought of first," Mel Stewart two time swimming gold medalist said.
With only four months left until the Opening Ceremony, only half the tickets for the games have been sold. The lack of public enthusiasm due to the fears of the fans and athletes is hurting the games. Officials are searching to find a way to ease the fears of fans in order to boost ticket sales and ensure another successful world games.
Image Courtesy of athleticsnacac.org