2016 RIO OLYMPICS AND THE EFFECTS OF ZIKA 1
The 2016 Rio Olympics and the Effects of Zika
Stafford Urquhart
English/103
8/14/16
Chris Nosal
2016 RIO OLYMPICS AND THE EFFECTS OF ZIKA 2
Abstract
The Olympic Games are staged every four years in a different country and is recognized
worldwide as one of the major events. It attracts a global interest of people worldwide than the
Soccer World Cup which is also held every four years. There is a wide range of interest from
people of different races, ages, social and political positions. The modern Olympic Games first
took place in Athens, Greece in 1896 and are organized to incorporate the different cultures,
history and happenings surrounding our lives, such as the political, economic crises and various
technological developments. The purpose of this study is to reveal the economic crisis that has
developed in Rio. Documentation includes what happened with Brazil’s economy since they
were elected to host the 2016 Olympic Games and what damage this might have caused them. I
have learned that the modern Olympic Games are driven by more political force rather than the
celebration of peace and health throughout the world. The IOC impact of the most important
sporting event in the host country, for more than three weeks, is an example that no matter how
weak a country’s economy is, one of the biggest sporting events in the world can be operated
with little or no interruptions.
Introduction
The Olympic Games are international sports competitions held every four years in a
different city, which is generally picked about seven years in advance. Thousands of athletes
from all over the world compete against each other in individual and team sports in an effort to
win an Olympic medal. The 2016 Olympic Games staging in Rio has increased the focus on
whether or not the country will benefit from the games considering all the negative events taking
place such as, unfinished facilities, Zika virus, decrease in the economy, and increase in
2016 RIO OLYMPICS AND THE EFFECTS OF ZIKA 3
corruption. There are increasing health concerns of whether the Games should have been staged
in an alternative location to help protect the health of those attending.
History
The first Olympic Games took place in 776B.C. in ancient Greece and consisted of one
event, a track event of 200 yards or what was referred to as a great foot race, held in a plain by
the River Alpheus just outside of Olympia, Greece. The preparation for the race took some time
and was organized to take place every four years instead of annually. The modern Olympic
Games, which started in Athens, Greece in 1896 and Since then, the Games have come to have a
great deal of political significance. For example, the 1936 Olympic Games were awarded to
Germany intentionally to regain peace between the European countries as Hitler was forcing
them apart. According to Chris Ramirez (2012), “Blacks and Jews, he said, were inferior and had
no place in the Games. Athletes trained under his Nazi regime were supposed to crush them.”
With Adolf Hitler in power, he used the games as a way of displaying his theory of racial
superiority. His attempt failed as African-American Jesse Owens became the hero of the games
winning four gold medals. “On August 4, 1936 a coloured athlete from the United States took the
Berlin Olympic stadium by storm” (Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka), 2010). The history of the
modern Olympic Games is plagued with incidents of protest, boycott, and sabotage.
The Olympic Games then have never been about just sports. Rather, historically
considered, they are understood as a major international event, with the internal dynamics of the
games as well as the question of what nation is the host of the games often having extensive
political significance that transcends the domain of just sports or entertainment. The principal
organization responsible for the staging of the Games is the International Olympic Committee
(IOC). Other important roles are played by the National Olympic Committees in each
2016 RIO OLYMPICS AND THE EFFECTS OF ZIKA 4
participating country, international sports federations, and the organizing committee of the host
city. According to an article found in the Gold Coast Bulletin (2010), The Olympic motto is
“Citius, Altius, Fortius”—“Faster, Higher, Stronger.” The Olympic symbol is five interlocking
circles colored blue, yellow, black, green, and red, on a white background, representing the five
continents. At least one of those colors appears on the national flag of every country.
The Olympics is intended to help Brazils economic state
First of all, the decision of hosting the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio was to help boost
Brazil’s fastest growing economy and to bring the Games to South America for the first time.
The investment, consumption and technological innovation in the preparation for the Games
brought about a rapid change in the Brazil’s economy. Brazil successfully won the bid, beating
out many other qualified locations, including the city of Chicago. “The chance to bring the
