Candis R. McLean
In 2009, Rio de Janeiro was awarded the first Olympic Games to be hosted in South America. At the time, it was between Rio and Chicago as the favorites to land the 2016 Olympics. During Rio’s presentation, there was an expansive map that showed how many times individual countries and continents hosted the games. South America appeared resoundingly bare. The International Olympic Committee awarded the games to Rio and the reaction to that announcement was cheers, excitement, and enthusiasm. Days away from the opening of the games at Maracana Stadium, the “Windy City” is looking like a pristine location in comparison. The Rio 2016 website currently states “With just over one week to go until the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, new and renovated sporting venues stand ready to welcome the world’s greatest athletes to Rio de Janeiro.” Many publications and tourists sites are telling visitors what to do with their time in the coastal city. Yet the latest news and findings rebut the claims of the city being a prepared and vibrant oasis . Here are some excerpts of what they’re saying in comparison to the current status of Rio de Janeiro:
Landscape
One of the main attractions of a scenic destination like Rio, are the beaches and wildlife. Certain beaches in Rio will not only host some of the Olympic activities such as beach volleyball, but it will also be a mainstay for tourists looking to relax. The calming setting is painted as a picturesque and great way to pass the time.
Vogue Magazine: “Beaches, mountains, jungle—Rio is a playground for nature lovers. If you’re keen to explore the beachfront (or lagoon) and work off some of those delicious pães de queijo, take a leisurely bike ride along the beaches or around the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. It’s a wonderful way to see the local way of life.”
In June, a surprising item washed on the shore Copacabana beach; human body parts. The remains scattered the shoreline and the crime still remains unsolved.
https://youtu.be/knZNvfm5FO4
Pollution
In conjunction with the beaches, swimming is has always been a top activity of leisure when visiting Rio. Many vacation agencies are lauding the areas in Guanabara Bay as a peak and prime spot to enjoy the water. The bay is home to multiple sailing and outdoor swimming events.
Unfortunately, the water is extremely questionable. Dutch sailing team member Afrodite Zegers said “We just have to keep our mouths closed when the water sprays up.” Many environmentalists have expressed severe concern about the areas of Copacabana Beach and Guanabara Bay. Dr. Daniel Becker who works in Rio stated, “Foreign athletes will literally be swimming in human crap, and they risk getting sick from all those microorganisms.” Garbage can be seen floating in the water and a “super bacteria” has been discovered in the bay by researchers. Lead researcher Renata Picao said, “I don’t take my children to these beaches.”
Rio's waters, home to Olympic events, are full of sewage, super bacteria — and worse https://t.co/hy4q9roEeC pic.twitter.com/NT93RLX9sQ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 27, 2016
The sewage and bacteria may cause severe skin infections. The city opened a new sewage plant in May, which jumped the sewage treatment of the water from 11% to 51%. Spanish women’s sailing team coach Nigel Cochrane said the waters are “disgusting” and that the team is “very concerned.” Along with heightened alarm over the Zika virus, it appears going to beaches or engaging in any water activity is a risk.
Crime
There are so many attractions and special visitation sites within the city. From the Christ Redeemer Statue, Sugar Loaf Mountains, to Corcavado, there’s always something to do. Several tourist packages include day trips to these landmarks and museums like (Museu do Amanhã) (Museum of Tomorrow). These highlights come with cultural mystique and also a concerning lack of safety.
Violence is a constant all over the world. In Rio, crime is surging and the police force hasn’t been paid in months. Visitors will see countless signs like the one above when arriving at the airport. Police officers warn that the city is not safe. Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes said that the state was doing a “terrible and horrible” job in regards to security leading up to the games. “This is the most serious issue in Rio and the state is doing a terrible, horrible job. It’s completely failing at its work of policing and taking care of people.”
The president of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee, Carlos Arthur Nuzman stated “We are ready to start the games.”His statment comes just days after protesters mobbed the Olympic torch relay in the city of Angra dos Reis. An 850 million dollar bailout was granted last week by acting Gov. Francisco Dornelles for emergency funds, increased security, and to avoid the ultimate failure of the Olympics.
Australian team members have already been robbed in a scheme involving a fire alarm. Once the players evacuated their rooms, their electronics and other valuables were stolen.
Confirmation some Australian Olympic team members were robbed during a fire evacuation in the athletes village #WSFMnews
— WSFM 101.7 (@WSFM1017) July 31, 2016
People:
Vacations insert tourists into a new setting, culture, and reveals to them a new way of living unlike their own. The greatest thing the Olympics is providing in 2016 is the first worldwide glimpse of South American culture on this scale. Numerous websites and publications are selling an enhanced view of Brazilian lifestyle and Rio’s people.
Vogue Magazine writes, “The best way to experience this seaside joint and its incredible location is to do as the locals do: Grab a beer, take a seat on the cobbled wall (where you can hang your feet over the edge), and make some local friends. “
However, these citizens have been displaced in the volume of thousands. Many of them, living in shanty towns like Vila Harmonia, have been removed as a part of Rio de Janiero’s massive transformation attempt. Forcible evictions and home demolitions have been a constant over the past few years. Rio inhabitants were told that an infrastructure upgrade was needed. Some were forced to sign papers without knowledge of where their new homes would be. Little monetary compensation was given to the countless families that were uprooted. Orlando Santos, a junior professor of urban planning at Rio de Janeiro Federal University, has studied these evictions for years, “Social exclusion is the issue here. The city is more beautiful, but for whom? The city is richer, but for whom? The other issue is that the people who are being moved live on the margins, if they are uprooted from their networks that allow them to survive, it actually makes them worse off, not better.”
These tourist establishments and publications offer a chance to be immersed in the day-to-day lives of locals. When visiting the Olympic main site, you’ll see murals and images of the greatness of Rio and its people. The lives of citizens, in certain areas of Rio, are ones of disregard and societal contempt. This coastal gentrification has led to a massive exodus of hard-working and poor individuals. They are shuffled and herded into various countryside locations, a distant horizon from their demolished homes, and living in the billion dollar shadow of Maracana Stadium.
Venues:
Budget constraints and fears have been closely monitored for the Rio 2016 games for years. There are 32 venues and structures for the games within the city. The construction of the Olympic Village has proven to be problematic in Rio. Rio 2016 Chief Operations Officer, Rodrigo Tostes, assembled a task force and the 31 tower block structure was just completed last week. There were reports of leaking pipes, stopped up toilets, exposed wires, and unfinished construction. Recently, frameworks within the competition areas have been crumbling:
#Rio2016 sailing boat ramp collapses a week before Olympic racing starts https://t.co/8bOf7aCRv8 pic.twitter.com/drGeuHw5OI
— Daily Mail Australia (@DailyMailAU) July 31, 2016
Marketing the Olympics correctly results in an extreme influx in tourism. The attempt to make Rio appear as a sparkling gem to visitors, has differed needed attention from sanitation, housing, public safety, and other issues. The results have not been promising. The beaches have body parts washing along the coast. Visiting attractions may not be safe and even remaining in your hotel poses some risk. The Olympic Committee will assuredly provide a breathtaking showcase of Rio in the next few days, full of excess and greatness. When the athletes leave and the benefactors vacate, all of the glowing luster that has been promoted through the weeks will go with it. The citizens of Rio will remain, trying to survive through the turmoil. And I can assure you, those rigorous trials, won’t be televised.