Rio's Olympics Quest: Can It Handle The 2016 Games?

[Victor Mata]

Could that Miécimo da Silva (aka Algodão) stadium be used in case of an emergency?

[Rominger]

I think the article is right on the matter.

The biggest problem with the PanAms was the total inexperience of organizing such a multisport event. Together with lack of communication between the executive leaders (federal, state and city hall) and also, for me the biggest point here, promising something they couldn´t deliver (an Olympic sized event for a regional competition) they raised the bar too high.

But I think the biggest problem with the bid still is the BOC and Mr. Nuzman, which is well know with his schemes to receive part of those overcosts and is well documented with lots of dossiers about the PanAm Games. I won´t trust a single word of what is written until he steps out.

[MrCatra]

Unfortunately, Brazilian press does tend to say that whenever a budget is overrun, there was overbilling and corruption. It might be true, but the two occurrences are independent. However, Brazil has Accounting Courts responsible for investigating government spending and they have to do it when the budget overrun is very high. This process is underway.

LOL

I don't you if you're that naive or you just want to sell the wonderful city to the gringos.

Tá bom, não teve corrupção não, zé... Foi tudo normal. Gastaram 3 bilhões na merda de um eventinho de 3º escalão e não teve corrupção. Ah sim, nossos tribunais adoram punir políticos corruptos neh? Ngm pode superfaturar uma obra no Brasil pq vai pra cadeia!!! O safado do Nuzman nem privilegiou seus parentes neh? Nem teve empresinha de merda de parente dele ganhando 'concorrência' de milhões como no caso da agência de turismo... Ou da fabricação de medalhas... tá bom, foi tudo perfeito!!! Eu hein.

Btw, on october 5 the federal court will judge the accounting of the PanAm games.

2 years later and just after IOC decides for the 2016 hoster.

[MrCatra]

Several reasons caused the budget overruns. One of them was lack of proper planning, since some issues were just not budgeted. Another was management, such as poor issue and risk management on government investments. There were also some problems with venue projects being adapted in the middle of the way and possibly corruption episodes also occurred.

Some of the planning, management and project apparently were very similar to those faced by London 2012. Probably, the exposure of the lessons learned from those episodes caused a great impression on the EC during their visit to Rio. There are hints indicating this at their report.

nego quer fazer parecer q nem existe corrupção no brasil só pra ganhar um debate num site de internet... inacreditável... nego não tá nem aí com o próprio dinheiro sendo ROUBADO pra uns safados q comandam o cob ficarem milionários..

é foda.

por isso q sou contra...

num tem uma pessoa q seja a favor e que seja crítica dessa gentinha. nego vai ser roubado pra 2016 e vai aplaudir.

[DannyelBrazil]

nego quer fazer parecer q nem existe corrupção no brasil só pra ganhar um debate num site de internet... inacreditável... nego não tá nem aí com o próprio dinheiro sendo ROUBADO pra uns safados q comandam o cob ficarem milionários..

é foda.

por isso q sou contra...

num tem uma pessoa q seja a favor e que seja crítica dessa gentinha. nego vai ser roubado pra 2016 e vai aplaudir.

Eu sinceramente posso ter o direito de querer ver Jogos Olímpicos no Brasil???

Roubar eles vão roubar do mesmo jeito, pelo menos que vejamos algo sendo construído.

E nem adianta tacar um bomba em Brasília, o que não falta é safado para assumir cargo político.

[stir.ts]

Eu estou pensando que pode ser melhor para apenas dar-lhe a Chicago.

[DannyelBrazil]

Eu estou pensando que pode ser melhor para apenas dar-lhe a Chicago.

Google Translator messed up this time...

"Eu acho que deve ser melhor simplesmente dar os jogos para Chicago" is the correct sentence.

[Athensfan]

I just discovered a very sad story explaining that Rio has had to cancel World Cup swimming events due to lack of funding. It is strange that there would be plenty of money for the World Cup and the Olympics, but they cannot find the funds for the swimming. This does not reflect well on Rio's track record of sports organization.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/articl...4O2EDAD9B0UE480

[aluz]

There is a political battle between the Brazilian Aquatics Federation (CBDA) and their main sponsor the National Postal Services (Correios). Probably that was the main reason.

[DannyelBrazil]

Well, it is a problema for CBDA, three weeks ago we had Pentathlon World Cup stage in Rio and hipism World Cup stage too...

Both were held in former PanAm venues, indeed with Media live coverage...

It's some issue in CBDA, sure...

Athensfan, please, stop searching problems for Rio... PLEASE!!!

Go support Chicago!

[Rominger]

I don´t understand why this CBDA/Swimming W.Cup shouldn´t be mentioned here.

I think people imagine that voters from the IOC come here and read all of this to decide their mind about which city deserves best to the the SOG host. Because of that, those news shouldn´t be posted here because it would uncover the story.

Yes, it is very strange that, for someone looking to get experience to host such a huge event, a federation doesn´t have money to host a small event like that. Still the problem is much more fund related than lack of capacity (sponsors and everything).

It happens and should be noticed.

And everyone should calm down that this won´t be the deal breaker for Rio. There are a lot of other bigger issues against the bid.

[DannyelBrazil]

Reading things here, I'm convinced we need to throw a Bomb in Rio and destroy the people and the city...

Nothing in Rio is good... NOTHING...

[DannyelBrazil]

http://globoesporte.globo.com/Esportes/Not...+CANCELADA.html - In portuguese, talking about CBDA, and

REPORTING SYDNEY ALSO WITHDRAWN....

Should we throw a bomb in Sydney too?

[Rominger]

Dannyel,

I don´t know why you are so upset about everything is being said here. This is an open forum, critics are always made around the world. I am sure if you go to the other cities forums you will read similar things.

[Athensfan]

I am not "searching for things to throw at Rio" -- the canceled FINA event came up on Google under news about the 2016 Olympics. And I'm sorry, but it's totally relevant to this thread and the contest. It directly relates to the quality of sports organization in Rio. Danny, are you asking us to just ignore cases like this? Pretend they don't exist? Especially when Rio is filing complaints with the IOC just because Daley said "Hosting the World Cup is not like hosting the Olympics"? (Incidentally, that's a fact. Hosting a World Cup is not like hosting the Olympics.)

[arwebb]

I heard the news about the World Cup swimming meet earlier today and there is no doubt that it should be a major cause for concern. But do we really think Rio will not be able to attract sponsorship for the Olympics?

[ChiTown16]

I am not "searching for things to throw at Rio" -- the canceled FINA event came up on Google under news about the 2016 Olympics. And I'm sorry, but it's totally relevant to this thread and the contest. It directly relates to the quality of sports organization in Rio. Danny, are you asking us to just ignore cases like this? Pretend they don't exist? Especially when Rio is filing complaints with the IOC just because Daley said "Hosting the World Cup is not like hosting the Olympics"? (Incidentally, that's a fact. Hosting a World Cup is not like hosting the Olympics.)

It's also a statement that he could make from experience - He was also mayor during the 1994 World Cup - when Chicago had the Opening Ceremonies and was one of 9 competition sites. But it's the difference between preparing for a few nights at an already heavily used existing stadium and the multi-site, multi-year preparations of the Olympic Games. There's no World Cup Village that was built. However, the CTA Orange Line to Midway Airport was touted as a World Cup project, Soldier Field has continued to host soccer, and we've gained an MLS professional team since then.

CHItown '16

[Andrew NYC]

This fact regarding to the meeting cancellation, it's minor in my view. This was just a meeting not a real event.

I've been to two or three seminaries/congress in Rio in the Oil & Gas sector, and always the organization is above people's expectation.

And in terms of legacy, there's no other city that would be so positively affected by the games as Rio. The city need to be more respected to attract

thousands of hundreds of visitors that may help the city (as well as Brazil in general) to improve their citizen's quality of life. In this regard i don't think

Tokyo, Madrid or Chicago need it the same way as Rio.

Further, they handle the PanAm games, they handle Year-End celebrations for millions, they handle small & large congress, and they have a kind of people

that loves to receive well, loves to smile, even with little.

So my reply to the question is a YES

[ChiTown16]

This fact regarding to the meeting cancellation, it's minor in my view. This was just a meeting not a real event.

I've been to two or three seminaries/congress in Rio in the Oil & Gas sector, and always the organization is above people's expectation.

And in terms of legacy, there's no other city that would be so positively affected by the games as Rio. The city need to be more respected to attract

thousands of hundreds of visitors that may help the city (as well as Brazil in general) to improve their citizen's quality of life. In this regard i don't think

Tokyo, Madrid or Chicago need it the same way as Rio.

Further, they handle the PanAm games, they handle Year-End celebrations for millions, they handle small & large congress, and they have a kind of people

that loves to receive well, loves to smile, even with little.

So my reply to the question is a YES

Ummm. Meet meaning swim meet (or multiple sporting event competition in a single venue) - not a meet as in a meeting or congress.

CHItown '16

[Athensfan]

It was not a "meeting" it was a competition. The reason this is important is that it causes one to question the competence of sports organization -- particularly when it comes to events that are less popular in Brazil.

[Athensfan]

I just came across an article that makes some interesting observations about Rio's crime problems:

"When Rio first applied to hold the Games, a working group from the IOC visited to see what issues, if any, the city would need to address if it was ever going to stage something the size and magnitude of the Olympics. In that report, crime was raised as a major concern.

In fact, Rio was assigned a rating in that report that was below that of other applicant cities that failed to make the final IOC cut. After Rio became one of the four finalists, a much more extensive evaluation report was done by the IOC – one that barely mentioned the crime concerns raised by its working group a year earlier."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/chic...article1307648/

This is a valid point. Why is it that crime was a major concern early on and then it magically evaporated from the EC report? It does seem like some members of the IOC want Rio to win and are presenting them in the most flattering light possible. Of course, this is the IOC's prerogative, I'm just not sure it's very objective. It would be better to say, "Rio's crime problem is far worse than any of the other bids -- it is even worse than some of the bids we didn't shortlist, but we feel passionately about sending the Games to South America, so we are willing to overlook this." Of course, that would be a PR nightmare, but it would be closer to the truth.

[ChiTown16]

This is a valid point. Why is it that crime was a major concern early on and then it magically evaporated from the EC report? It does seem like some members of the IOC want Rio to win and are presenting them in the most flattering light possible. Of course, this is the IOC's prerogative, I'm just not sure it's very objective. It would be better to say, "Rio's crime problem is far worse than any of the other bids -- it is even worse than some of the bids we didn't shortlist, but we feel passionately about sending the Games to South America, so we are willing to overlook this." Of course, that would be a PR nightmare, but it would be closer to the truth.

I suspect that IOC voters noticed that the EC report had a number of unexpected holes and that they've been asking questions - and it's difficult to keep a paid, finished report on a major, high profile decision hidden from 100 influential voters. The details of that internal report have probably been circulating around internal channels at the IOC for a while.

CHItown '16

[Athensfan]

If they are all reading the report so closely, then why is the EC recapping their findings before the vote? Wouldn't that be unnecessary?

Incidentally, does the EC always recap their findings before the vote? It seems like an opportunity for them to try to influence the rest of the IOC members -- particularly when the report is as obviously "tweaked" as this one was.

[ChiTown16]

If they are all reading the report so closely, then why is the EC recapping their findings before the vote? Wouldn't that be unnecessary?

Incidentally, does the EC always recap their findings before the vote? It seems like an opportunity for them to try to influence the rest of the IOC members -- particularly when the report is as obviously "tweaked" as this one was.

I'd imagine, among the IOC members, that a number of them have less interest in the bid than an average GB member but that they're still quite a few that could quote back your messages to you and that know are coming to Copenhagen with a trunk full of bid books and EC reports and external scouting reports with highlighted pages and Post-It flags all over the place. I'd also imagine that, as in any organization, that a great deal happens through internal discussions, internal newsletters, and person-to-person emails. If a newspaper from Canada - a country without a city in contention - found out about this report, word about it has probably made its rounds.

CHItown '16

[Andrew NYC]

It was not a "meeting" it was a competition. The reason this is important is that it causes one to question the competence of sports organization -- particularly when it comes to events that are less popular in Brazil.

No it was not. Several competitions come with a lot of meetings before. Like the FIFA just meet in Rio, and was just a meeting, no competition.

I just came across an article that makes some interesting observations about Rio's crime problems:

"When Rio first applied to hold the Games, a working group from the IOC visited to see what issues, if any, the city would need to address if it was ever going to stage something the size and magnitude of the Olympics. In that report, crime was raised as a major concern.

In fact, Rio was assigned a rating in that report that was below that of other applicant cities that failed to make the final IOC cut. After Rio became one of the four finalists, a much more extensive evaluation report was done by the IOC – one that barely mentioned the crime concerns raised by its working group a year earlier."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/chic...article1307648/

This is a valid point. Why is it that crime was a major concern early on and then it magically evaporated from the EC report? It does seem like some members of the IOC want Rio to win and are presenting them in the most flattering light possible. Of course, this is the IOC's prerogative, I'm just not sure it's very objective. It would be better to say, "Rio's crime problem is far worse than any of the other bids -- it is even worse than some of the bids we didn't shortlist, but we feel passionately about sending the Games to South America, so we are willing to overlook this." Of course, that would be a PR nightmare, but it would be closer to the truth.

Because the city proved that the crime will be taken care the same way as in the PanAm games and any major event Rio hosted.

They do mentioned that they accept the explanations and commitments from the Government (Federal, State and City)

That's what the IOC use to do.