Menu
Olympics

Rio Olympic Organizers Looking To Manage Zika Virus Scare, Budget Cuts, Water Pollution

Just six months ahead of the Rio Games, local Olympic organizers "face a public health emergency with the Zika virus, pollution in the bodies of water where many competitions will be held and budgetary cutbacks," according to Rachel Axon of USA TODAY. IOC President Thomas Bach said that those concerns are "on the radar" for the governing body, although some are "beyond control of local organizers." Bach: "What we have in Brazil is of course the crisis of the country, which comes on top of the challenges which you normally would face there in the last couple of months." He added, "I’m pretty proud of the unity the national Olympic committees, the international federations and then the IOC are showing in this solidarity with the Brazilians. And I’m pretty proud about the Brazilians. With optimism and determination, they’re tackling the issues." Azon notes the most pressing concerns are "about the Zika virus," which has been declared an international public health emergency by the World Health Organization. Pollution in Guanabara Bay and Rodrigo de Freitas Lake also "remains a concern for athletes in rowing, sailing and canoeing." The Rio Games "face budgetary cuts" of $500M from the $1.9B operating budget. The IOC already is contributing $1.5B, its "highest amount ever." The cutbacks will "come by reducing the number of spectator stands, volunteers and courtesy cars, among other places." Bach insisted that cuts "will not affect the field of play or the athletes’ experience." Despite the concerns, Bach "sees the Olympics as a positive amid the country’s struggles" (USA TODAY, 2/5).

WHITE ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM? The AFP's Javier Tovar notes Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes "promises no repeat of the embarrassing aftermath" when Brazil hosted the '14 FIFA World Cup, where money was "poured into building stadiums that no one needed." The handball arena will be "dismantled and rebuilt into four public schools, while the Olympic aquatic sports center will become two swimming centers." Other installations are "scheduled to remain as they are, but with new uses." The mayor's office said that one of the gymnasiums will "become an experimental sports school, while another will become a high-level training center." Tovar writes with Rio's economy "in the doldrums, there are questions over how much demand there'll be on the real estate market for the privately built Olympic Village, a cluster of towers due to be marketed as high-end apartment blocks." It is also "unclear how much use there'll be of the golf course" (AFP, 2/5).

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/2016/02/05/Olympics/Rio.aspx

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

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2016/02/05/Olympics/Rio.aspx

CLOSE