Hidden within the excitement of the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro is a country stricken with political and economic turmoil. Although the Games seem like a perfect opportunity to rid Brazil of its economic crisis and lift the spirits of the Brazilians, they seem to only shroud the country’s problems from the rest of the world.
Brazil is in its greatest recession in the last 100 years, and the Olympic games only add to their debt. The billions of dollars spent on facilities for the Olympics would be better spent on helping its many impoverished people instead of tourists and athletes that will only be there for two weeks. One of Brazil’s most expensive projects was a subway that would transport the excess of tourists to the Olympics; however, it only provides a route from rich neighborhoods to the Olympic facilities and does not benefit the poor and working class families who often need to travel to work.
More importantly, thousands of poor families were evicted from their homes to make room for the massive athletic facilities they will never be able to use. These families will be displaced permanently due to games they will not be able to see. Are the Olympic games just another way Brazil’s government is taking advantage of its people?
If you look past the new buildings and beautiful beaches shown on TV, you will see slums and cities controlled by drug lords. Corruption permeates all of Brazil and the Olympics are just another way for their government to take advantage of their people to benefit themselves and their public image. The Olympics are a way for Brazil’s government to counteract their negative image without actually solving any of their pressing problems.
However, the Olympics do not always have to take advantage of the country’s people, and if staged correctly, they could benefit developing countries such as Brazil. Seven years ago, Brazil saw the Olympics as an opportunity to improve their country and showcase these new improvements to spectator nations. The Olympics would encourage them to clean the polluted Guanabara Bay and ignite trade to relieve them of their crippling debt. Seven years later, these tasks are being ignored in order to put on a show for the benefit of the rest of the world.
Countries participating in the Olympic games have a responsibility to make sure that host countries are using the opportunity to benefit their citizens. More developing countries should host the Olympic games and use this prospect to resolve their pressing problems while hosting countries from all around the world.
This does not mean that we should boycott the Olympic games because it does allow countries from all across the world to come together, but we should chastise countries that take advantage of their people in order to benefit their public image. As citizens of the world, we should not be caught up in images of sandy beaches and prospects of gold medals but focus on how the Olympics will affect Brazil’s people after the games are finished.
