Rio-2016 News

[olympian]

any idea when the medals will be revealed?

[rodrigo_dpc]

any idea when the medals will be revealed?

I read that it will be 50 days before the opening ceremony

[Bezzi]

This means next week. Where did you saw this info?

[Bezzi]

Nevermind

The medals will be revealed on June 16

http://www.surtoolimpico.com.br/2016/05/anunciada-data-da-apresentacao-das.html

[paul]

Brazilian shooting team member Anna Paula Cotta has reportedly been shot in the head at an attempted mugging in north Rio de Janeiro today in a stark reminder of security concerns ahead of this year's Olympic Games.

Cotta, who competed in the test event at the Olympic Shooting Centre in Deodoro and had been hoping to qualify for Rio 2016, was caught at what turned out to be a fake roadblock on Avenida Pastor Martin Luther King in Inhaúma.

According to the Jornal O Dia, she was shot in the head by a group of four robbers armed with pistols.

She reportedly managed to drive her car for a further 50 metres after being hit before colliding with the wall of Inhaúma Metro Station.

Globo report that the 27-year-old was rescued by fire-fighters at the site and was admitted to the Municipal Hospital Salgado Filho in Meier.

According to the Municipal Secretary of Health, she was undergoing surgery this morning and her condition is considered "serious".

The incident comes as fears rise over security at the Olympics and Paralympics after members of the Spanish sailing team were mugged at gunpoint in a popular tourist area close to the Marina da Glória venue.

[brasilolimpico]

Violence in Rio: Archbishop is in the middle of shooting.

The Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, was arrested this morning (10) in the middle of a firefight. The archbishop had just left the Christ Redeemer and was going to Drumont Santos Airport when he was surprised by a shootout between police and criminals in the Santa Teresa neighborhood.

This is not the first time that Dom Orani, the city Cardinal engages in the type situations.

In 2015, he had his car stolen by criminals.

In September 2014, he was robbed by three armed men, also in the Santa Teresa neighborhood. One of the thieves came to recognize the cardinal and apologized for the theft, but took the ring, the cord with the crucifix, the mobile phone and the pen of the archbishop. During the flight, the bandits decided to leave the belongings of Dom Orani, as well as the stolen phones.

Read More and view the video: http://noticias.uol.com.br/cotidiano/ultimas-noticias/2016/06/10/arcebispo-do-rio-janeiro-fica-preso-em-meio-a-tiroteio-em-santa-teresa.htm (in portuguese).

[Cauê]

Rio is very violent again.

[Cauê]

*for residents

[Cauê]

In Wake of Coup, Should Brazil's Olympics Be Moved or Become a Site of Protest?

JUNE 01, 2016

In early August, more than 10,000 athletes across the world will convene in Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic City for one of the most widely watched sporting events of the year. This comes as Brazil is battling an economic recession, a massive Zika outbreak and its worst political crisis in over two decades. Protesters have vowed to flood the streets during the Olympics, using the global spotlight to highlight a raft of domestic grievances including threats to social services, police violence, forced displacement and the recent ouster of democratically elected President Dilma Rousseff. We speak to Dave Zirin, author of the book "Brazil’s Dance with the Devil: The World Cup, the Olympics, and the Fight for Democracy," and Jules Boykoff, author of "Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics."

http://www.democracynow.org/2016/6/1/in_wake_of_coup_should_brazil

[paul]

...with all the extra security for the games it's probably going to be a very peaceful time for much of Rio. As long as "coup" and other protesters don't go overboard and tourists stay smart.

[gotosy]

Football great Pele receives Olympic Order

Pele, regarded as the greatest ever football player, was honoured with the Olympic order by IOC President Thomas Bach on Thursday at Santos, Brazil.

http://zeenews.india.com/sports/football/football-great-pele-receives-olympic-order_1896729.html

[brasilolimpico]

Football great Pele receives Olympic Order

Pele, regarded as the greatest ever football player, was honoured with the Olympic order by IOC President Thomas Bach on Thursday at Santos, Brazil.

http://zeenews.india.com/sports/football/football-great-pele-receives-olympic-order_1896729.html

The Olympic Order to someone who was not in a Olympiad.

It may be allowed, but do not think it's fair.

[brasilolimpico]

URGENT NEWS: Government of Rio de Janeiro decrees public calamity by financial crisis.

The crisis in the Rio de Janeiro led the governor, Francisco Dornelles, to declare state of public calamity on Friday (17). The information was confirmed by the government's press office.

According to the decree, published in the Official Gazette, the reason is the serious financial crisis that prevents the fulfillment of the obligations as a result of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. According to the paper, the government fears a "total breakdown in public security, health, education, mobility and environmental management."

"They are the competent authorities authorized to take exceptional measures necessary for the rationalization of all essential public services, with a view to holding the Games," says Article 2 of the decree.

Read more: http://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2016/06/governo-do-rj-decreta-estado-de-calamidade-publica-devido-crise.html

[paul]

This is one reason cities around the world are afraid of the risk of hosting the Olympics, you might have to go bankrupt and have your nations taxpayers bail you out.

Olympic Host Rio Gets Emergency Funding Lifeline From Temer

Acting President Michel Temer’s administration will ask Congress to authorize a one-time payment of 2.9 billion reais ($850 million) to help the state complete work on its subway system and pay civil servants, including overtime for police officers, said Saturday, citing unidentified government officials.

Rio announced the financial emergency this week, saying it didn’t have enough money to meet its commitments before the Olympics start on Aug. 5.

[Ikarus360]

Well, I think with this we won't be seeing the Olympics happening in a minor city anytime soon. Like I said before, the IOC feared this would happen and probably decided to pick Tokyo back in 2013 as a contingence measure.

I'm confident the government of Brazil will pay up for the rest. I mean, they are already in the eye of the huricane. The least thing they need now is damaging their reputation/image more than it already is.

[paul]

That London hosted the Olympics recently was lovely in one manner and financially lost some couple of tens of billions of pounds. Britain’s a big and rich economy and that sort of loss is annoying but not existential. The same cannot be said of some other places. Like, for example, Rio de Janeiro, where the state governor has just declared a financial disaster.

Rio declares 'financial disaster' as means to finish Olympic preparations-CBC

Edited June 18, 2016 by paul

[brasilolimpico]

The situation of some Brazilian states is critical.

Namely: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul.

Good financial health is rare, my state Paraná has the largest surplus in revenues among all states.

Rio de Janeiro is dependent on oil (pre-salt is expensive to explore and oil prices are low), the government is bloated and spends too much. The Olympics came with a high price, but you can rest assured the event will go well and that financial disaster will not impact the game. The President Temer already sent resources.

[paul]

1 dead, 2 wounded in hospital shootout in Brazil

A group of heavily-armed men stormed a Rio de Janeiro hospital early Sunday to free a suspected drug trafficker, sparking a shootout with officers that left a patient dead and a nurse and an off-duty policeman wounded.

At least five attackers entered the Hospital Souza Aguiar before dawn to rescue the 28-year-old suspect, who was being treated there for a gunshot wound, Rio de Janeiro police said in a statement. As many as 15 other gunmen were outside during the attack, witnesses told police.

"This was a carefully orchestrated attack," Barbosa told reporters outside the hospital. "It was a bold action that will not go unpunished. It is unacceptable."

Souza Aguiar is one of five hospitals designated to treat tourists during the Olympic Games beginning Aug. 5 and is the closest to the famed Maracana Stadium, site of the opening ceremony. It's also on a U.S. Embassy list of medical facilities recommended for travelers to the games.

Fabio Melo, a sergeant who was guarding the suspect in the hospital, said he feels vulnerable to attacks as Rio de Janeiro state is increasing officers' shifts.

"People in our line of duty go through these kinds of different experiences. Thank God I was not injured and I was able to help my co-worker," Melo told reporters. "But we are defenseless. I am defenseless, you are defenseless and the whole population, too."

[Ikarus360]

What angers me is that the socialists cucks will try to put the blame on Temer when, while he's not a saint, most of the guilt falls on the ex-president and her party's management of the economy, just to look better.

[brasilolimpico]

Yes, the Left hopes that Dilma return to power.

But even after the alleged quote from Temer in Lava jet until the party recognizes that it does not help Dilma.

Chances in her time is very low. Even the thesis of new elections that left some sectors ask, is not good ... Lula is the candidate rejected by voters, Dilma is not an option, the party has no other national prominence name at the time.

1 dead, 2 wounded in hospital shootout in Brazil

A group of heavily-armed men stormed a Rio de Janeiro hospital early Sunday to free a suspected drug trafficker, sparking a shootout with officers that left a patient dead and a nurse and an off-duty policeman wounded.

At least five attackers entered the Hospital Souza Aguiar before dawn to rescue the 28-year-old suspect, who was being treated there for a gunshot wound, Rio de Janeiro police said in a statement. As many as 15 other gunmen were outside during the attack, witnesses told police.

"This was a carefully orchestrated attack," Barbosa told reporters outside the hospital. "It was a bold action that will not go unpunished. It is unacceptable."

Souza Aguiar is one of five hospitals designated to treat tourists during the Olympic Games beginning Aug. 5 and is the closest to the famed Maracana Stadium, site of the opening ceremony. It's also on a U.S. Embassy list of medical facilities recommended for travelers to the games.

Fabio Melo, a sergeant who was guarding the suspect in the hospital, said he feels vulnerable to attacks as Rio de Janeiro state is increasing officers' shifts.

"People in our line of duty go through these kinds of different experiences. Thank God I was not injured and I was able to help my co-worker," Melo told reporters. "But we are defenseless. I am defenseless, you are defenseless and the whole population, too."

There is in Brazil a popular expression that fits well:

The government will move heavens and earth by the Olympics.

No need to worry about security, it will be reinforced ... are minimal chances of episodes like this happen in August, when 85,000 forces will assist in Rio.

[paul]

Australian Olympic team demands security after Rio paralympian mugged at gunpoint-cnn

Australian Olympic authorities say they want greater security for athletes in Rio immediately, after a gold-medal winning paralympian was mugged in the city at gunpoint.

Six-time Australian Paralympics athlete 47-year-old Liesl Tesch had her bike stolen at a bus stop near her hotel on Sunday morning by two men, who threatened her and sailing team member Sarah Ross with a pistol.

[Baptista]

This is not good:

http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1038843/wada-suspends-rio-laboratory-with-less-than-two-months-until-olympic-games

[Rob2012]

Oh dear...

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has suspended the accreditation of the Brazilian Doping Control Laboratory in Rio de Janeiro just 42 days before the start of this year's Olympic Games.

Procedural errors are thought to be behind WADA's decision, which raises the possibility that samples collected during Rio 2016 will have to be shipped off and tested and analysed elsewhere at a cost of as much as $250,000 (£182,000/€224,000).

This was the case ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, where samples were analysed over 9,000 kilometres away in Lausanne in Switzerland.

It is thought a similar procedure would be much more difficult during Rio 2016 due to the volume of samples taken at an Olympic Games.

Outgoing WADA director general David Howman has described the news as "disturbing" in an interview with New Zealand-based website stuff.co.nz.

He claimed it was unlikely the problem will be rectified before the Games get underway with the Opening Ceremony on August 5.

http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1038843/wada-suspends-rio-laboratory-with-less-than-two-months-until-olympic-games

[Nemo]

Wow, Rio can't seem to catch a break. If the Rio lab isn't able to get accreditation back in time for the games, will the Swiss lab be used again? Is there a closer lab that could be used, maybe Buenos Aires or Mexico City?

[baron-pierreIV]

Or LA or Houston? There are direct flights between Rio and Houston on United (Official USOC Airline Partner). There are Miami and NYC dailies from Rio via American.

Edited June 24, 2016 by baron-pierreIV