Menu
Olympics

Rio Hustling To Fix Myriad Issues Before '16 Games, But Some Venues Ready To Go

Today marks one year to go before the start of the '16 Rio Games, and it is "crunch time" in the city, as "every day, every hour now matters in the massive build up" to the event, according to NBC's Natalie Morales. Construction sites "are everywhere, from infrastructure like the new bus and metro lines to the city's two dozen Olympic venues." Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes indicated that work on the venues "is on track and on schedule.” Paes: “Most of them are going to be ready by the end of this year, by the beginning of next year. So they are pretty much on time.” Morales reports the Olympic Village and the Int'l Broadcasting Center are "close to complete," but many other venues still have "major concerns, like the velodrome and Hall One, which will host basketball." There also are "questions about the water conditions at some outdoor venues.” Paes said, “We still got a long way to go on sewage treatment in the Guanabara Bay. But we really challenge these kinds of studies, what they’re saying. We had a test event in sailing last year and it was fine.” Morales notes the IOC stated it will "keep testing the water, and the health and welfare of the athletes is a top priority.” NBC's Matt Lauer noted, “With every Olympics the question is asked, ‘Will the host city be ready?’ Rio’s obstacles and challenges have dominated some of the headlines” (“Today,” NBC, 8/5).

RACE TO THE FINISH: The GLOBE & MAIL's Stephanie Nolen reports there is a "race to extend the metro line under the city and out toward the Olympic Park, and a dash to get the stadium and other facilities in the park finished." There also is "roadwork and sewage work and renovation of everything from beachfronts to the famous Sambadrome (which will be used for the marathon and archery events)." Many people believe Rio will see the same "last frantic push" that got Brazil ready for the '14 FIFA World Cup, but that means some Olympic venues could be "hastily and shoddily finished." A recent AP investigation of water quality at Olympic venues "found that not one was safe enough for healthy human contact." Cleaning all this up was a "key pledge in Rio’s Olympic bid." But construction has begun on "only one of eight planned sewage projects, and the city government now acknowledges it won’t be done in time." However, some problems "can’t be hurried through." While some Olympic water-sport federations are "lobbying heavily to have their events moved out of the city" due to the water conditions, violence is "another issue with no quick fix." However, Paes claims that the Games "will have no white elephants, save public money and overhaul the city’s infrastructure and facilities for a more inclusive Rio" (GLOBE & MAIL, 8/5). The GUARDIAN's Jonathan Watts notes a handful of facilities "are already finished, including the Maracanã stadium," which will host the Opening Ceremony. IOC officials, who visit this week, "will be told that the others should be completed by the end of the year, including the velodrome, hockey grounds and a new Olympic golf course." The aquatic centre, whitewater channels, mountain bike park and Deodoro stadium (which will host rugby) are "due to follow in the first three months" of '16. Cutting it closer will be the equestrian arena and shooting range, "which are not set for completion until after April, and the athletics stadium, which will stage its main test event -- the Ibero-American championships -- in mid-May." The "biggest concern is the tennis centre, which was labelled 'high risk' earlier this month by a municipal auditing court due to budget overruns" (GUARDIAN, 8/5).

PAR FOR THE COURSE: U.S. beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings said she has "read about a lot of stuff in Rio, and to tell you the truth, prior to every Olympics there's a lot of panic." She said, "In Athens, (it was) security and all these things. There is so much buildup and then they always execute really well. Rio, to me, is going to be a different beast. They have a lot of challenges that I've never seen before as far as infrastructure and the water conditions, but I know they're going to hustle and the world comes together" ("Squawk Box," CNBC, 8/4). 

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/08/05/Olympics/Rio.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/08/05/Olympics/Rio.aspx

CLOSE