In a month and two weeks, the 2016 Rio Olympics is billed to kick off in Rio de Janeiro but organizers of the global event have had one or two worries ranging from the Zika Virus and doping scandal in which Brazil’s only testing lab has been suspended.
Added to these challenges is that state authorities have expressed some concerns in terms of providing adequate security.
For a fact, Francisco Dornelles, the acting governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro, told the Brazilian newspaper O Globo that the state has not yet received recently-approved federal funds to beef up security and transportation for the quadrennial competition.
Brazil has been in financial turmoil and the economy is in recession. The country has faced series of political crisis that led to the removal of President Dilma Rousseff over allegations that she used creative accounting to favour herself in the year leading to our second term elections.
In essence without the bailout money the state might be unable to fund the police adequately since they will soon run out funds.
According to CNN’s reports, the state’s police officers have not been paid for overtime work for more than six months and Brazil’s federal government approved the bailout, worth about $850 million (approximately 2.9 billion reals), last week.
Without proper security and a completed metro, there would be “difficulties” during the Olympics, Dornelles said.
Famous athletes have been forced to pull out of the Olympics for one reason or the other. Some have cited the Virus as a major concern why others have expressed the need to take some time out to take a breather.
World Number one Golfer Jason Day, Rory McIlroy a four-times major champion, Lebron James, Stephanie Curry have all pulled withdrawn from participating at the Olympics.
Considering all of this points, should Brazil listen to the voices of scientists and sportsmen who have called for the postponement in order to avoid causalities or proceed with plans of staging the event?
