Rio 2016

Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
edited April 2014 in General Discussion
From an article about the IOC vice president calling Rio's preparation the worst he's ever seen:

"Construction has not begun on some venues, infrastructure is significantly delayed and water pollution is a major concern for sailing and other sports just two years out from the Games. Even so, the Australian said the Games will take place in Rio."

Note: Emphasis is mine.

-LBJ

“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

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Comments

  • DanSimonelliDanSimonelli San Diego CASenior Member
    From China to Rio...with love!
  • athleteathlete Member
    I've read recently, the IOC is already looking at alternative host sites due to the aforementioned. What a black eye for Rio, should they loose their bid.
  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member
    Just saw this relevant image from Rio:


    ulCbb3P.jpg

    loneswimmer.com

  • flystormsflystorms Memphis, TNSenior Member
    OMG that's disgusting!
  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    Is this where they are proposing to hold the 10km swim? Dear God, what a mess.

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • sharkbaitzasharkbaitza LondonMember
    that NYT video is horrific... Let's move the whole thing to Cape Town!
  • Where you have favelas you have uncontrolled pollution. There is no way whatsoever they can clear the problem up in even 5 years. (I lived in Brazil for 10 years btw).
  • heartheart San Francisco, CACharter Member
    I was hoping to figure out the venue because I have an upcoming business trip to Brazil. But this is truly disgusting.
  • Traveling to Brazil 5-6 times this year - Rio is not ready for World Cup nor Olympics ... the international community is used to higher standards for the most part and this will be a hard pill to swallow for them. It is unfortunate, because it does look like it has a lot of potential (just decay and poor management makes it look like it was cool in the 70's maybe). Bummer. As for the pollution - no idea what they will be doing, but it will be a huge shame on Brazil and logistical nightmare if they have to re-plan these events in different locations. Let's hope they come up with good plans over the next year or so.
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    edited January 2016

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • bruckbruck San FranciscoMember

    Great ESPN report by Bonnie Ford, who covered the Fran Crippen fiasco:

    http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/14791849/trash-contamination-continue-pollute-olympic-training-competition-sites-rio-de-janiero

    The money quote, from American Chip Peterson:

    ‘A little bit of diarrhea is worth a gold medal’ is something that I’ve heard from athletes out there.

    tortugaIronMike
  • edited February 2016

    **An ambassador for the Netherlands-based nonprofit Plastic Soup Foundation, van Rijsselberghe called the conditions in Rio "disgustingly filthy and dangerous" in a blog written after he won the Copa Brasil de Vela event in Guanabara Bay in December:

    "A member of our coaching staff almost puked while entering the Olympic harbor," van Rijsselberghe wrote in text translated and posted on the foundation's website.

    "Raw sewage. The athletes do not talk about it. ... They are not there to challenge the world's environmental issues. But the athletes are all concerned and deeply worried.**

    How was the IOC duped into believing Brazil could/would/had the will to undertake such a massive clean up anyway when all the major cities have the same appalling sanitation issue and show no ability to tackle the problem? Why are they unwilling not to move the sailing/swimming to an alternative venue? Its still not too late to at least rectify this mistake and move to a cleaner location however they need to show leadership to make it happen.

  • Sorry I meant all the major cities in Brazil. Ever seen the River Tiete in Sao Paulo?
    THE most disgusting river in the world, the smell is sickening.

  • swimmer25kswimmer25k Charter Member

    I once swam into a dead dog in a race in Japan near Fukuoka. There was a "river" dumping into the sea the race was in filled with trash and other fun presents. It was probably the worst thing I ever had to deal with in a swim.

  • wendyv34wendyv34 Vashon, WASenior Member

    Delightful.

    IronMike

    It's always a bad hair day when you work at a pool.

  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member

    I was swimming in Miami many years ago, and stopped when my husband notified me that um, there was a severed human lower leg and foot floating in my path.
    Yeah---I don't quit swimming for many reasons, but that did it.

  • rosemarymintrosemarymint Charleston, SCCharter Member

    I can't "like" that post @SydneD to acknowledge it because that's horrifying.

    Thankfully I've never been swimming when the floaters have appeared. I've just been there working. Glad that part of my life is now over.

    SydneD
  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member

    It was a bad bad thing, and then, because it was the ocean, it was gone almost as quickly before we could do anything to alert authorities. Because, um, we weren't going to touch it.

    wendyv34
  • suziedodssuziedods Mem​ber
    edited June 2016

    And it gets better ! ( more sarcasm font needed)

    http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/body-parts-wash-ashore-next-to-rio-olympic-venue/ar-AAhMEus

    BODY PARTS!! ugh ugh ugh...

  • ssthomasssthomas DenverCharter Mem​ber

    We saw the body parts on the news last night. WTF.

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