Sandy Supposes....

Rio

PROMPT: The Sunday News! The 2016 Olympic games are scheduled to be held this summer in Rio de Janeiro, although a series of problems in the host country are threatening to upstage the whole thing. If any possible potential catastrophes regarding Brazil's Olympic efforts were to be realized (either there or anywhere else around the world afterwards ), how guilty would the IOC ( International Olympic Committee) be for not changing the location or protecting the athletes?

         As I understand it from reading the online link associated with this prompt, there are three major concerns re the Rio Olympics slated for this summer. One concern is a health one, the Zika virus. A second worry concerns the political climate in Brazil. The question of athlete attendance is the third concern.

         Any and all viruses are scary, and potentially life-threatening. Part of travelling is educating one's self, and preparation. If there are vaccines and preventative measures, avail yourself of them. The athletes slated to compete in Rio will have support people who warn and prepare them. They will arm themselves with all available anti-Zika measures. All teams travel with their own medical staff, too. The Brazilian government plans to spray repellents in their Olympic venues a month before arrivals. The Games begin in August which is the winter in Brazil, and not mosquito-breeding weather or season. It is predicted to be cooler and drier that month, and mosquitoes prefer hot, wet climes. The Zika virus seems to adversely affect the already vulnerable; the very young or old, the immune-weakened, the ill. Olympic-class athletes are usually not in this category.

          At the moment, Brazil has an interim leader, but the country still exists and continues to prepare for the Olympics. A great deal of money and planning has already been expended for this event. All countries wishing to host an Olympic Games compete years in advance for the 'honour/prestige' of being elected a host. Past games serve as templates; a what-to-do guide. No country enters into this hosting without accessing the successes and failures of past games. Brazil was not bamboozled. This was a deliberate, well-calculated venture. Brazil is expecting tourism money among other rewards. They are committed to create the best Olympics they possibly can. Security is always heightened for these international events. Unfortunately, terrorism is very real, and nothing new. Can it be prevented absolutely?

          Apparently, there are rumours/fears that athlete attendance is in jeopardy. Does this not occur at each international event? There are no guarantees. Most countries will commit delegates/teams to these Games. It is a long-standing tradition. Elite athletes live to compete. The Olympics unites countries. It's an opportunity to promote goodwill and partnerships. Each participating country has a vested interest to prepare, protect, and promote their athletes. The U.S. has promised to send a team to this Games, and most countries will follow suit. The Canadian teams' official Games uniforms have been publically celebrated, so Canada, too, will be a presence. Athletes are not forced to participate, but most choose to compete. If an athlete chooses not to compete in Rio, another athlete will gladly take their place.

         I fail to see how or if the IOC could possibly be responsible for any disaster that might occur. The location cannot be changed now. An Olympic venue takes years to prepare; short-term housing, fields, arenas, courses, seating for spectators, hotel bookings, personnel. judges, etc. It cannot simply be moved elsewhere. Brazil is expecting a return on their investment, and rightly so. Only so much preparation, planning, and security can possibly exist. Any very public event has the potential to be dangerous. Who could've predicted and then prevented the Boston Marathon bombings? No one foresaw the execution of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics. ( Did I get that right?) For the most part, Olympic Games have proceeded without a hitch.