Amnesty Int'l said that Rio de Janeiro "is at high risk of deadly human rights violations in the run-up to the Olympics because security forces have failed to learn lessons from previous major events."
With two months until the Opening Ceremony, the human rights organization "is warning that the number of deaths during police operations will continue to increase unless urgent measures are taken."
In a report released on Thursday, entitled Violence has no place in these games, Amnesty "highlights how security preparations for previous events like the World Cup led to an increase in homicides." In '14, killings during police operations rose by 40% as security forces "targeted armed criminal organisations in the city’s favelas." Amnesty Int'l Brazil Exec Dir Atila Roque: "We’ve had experience of major events since the Pan-American Games in 2007, as well as the World Cup and now the Olympics. We are highlighting that important lessons were not learnt" (London TELEGRAPH, 6/2).
PyeongChang Olympics organizers announced the white tiger, a mythological creature in Korean folklore, "will be the official mascot for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games."
The PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) announced a white tiger named "Soohorang" will be the symbol for Korea's first Winter Olympics and an Asiatic black bear named "Bandabi" will be a mascot for the Paralympic Winter Games. POCOG explained the two mascots "resemble animals appearing in Korea's foundation mythology and are closely associated with Korean culture and folklore" (KOREA TIMES, 6/2).
OLYMPIC BRIEFS ...
The Asian Paralympic Committee announced a new partnership with airline Qatar Airways in the lead-up to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. This is the first major partnership secured by the new APC Board elected in '14 and "will directly benefit the Asian athletes and the wider Asian Paralympic community." If successful, this "could lead to a longer term commitment with the airline" (AROUND THE RINGS, 5/31).
A Brazilian company "has started legal proceedings against a British sports hospitality provider for fraudulently selling Rio Olympic tickets."
Energy enterprise Cosan is suing THG Sports Hospitality in the Sao Paulo court for R$350,000 ($97,700) plus damages and interest "after buying 200 hospitality packages from the British company" (AFP, 6/2).
