Trouble-plagued Rio Olympics stumbles toward opening
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By Lee Han-soo
The Rio Olympic Games seem to be falling apart before the event begins on Saturday.
While the spotlight recently shone on unfinished construction at the athletes’ village, this seems to be the least of the worries.
Major security and health problems have put Olympic teams on high alert.
On July 31, a private security guard was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a female firefighter near Olympic Park. The man was arrested after allegedly groping the woman’s breasts while she slept.
In the latest incident, authorities used a controlled explosion to destroy a suspicious package inside Maracana stadium on Sunday -- where the opening ceremony will take place.
Vandalism and theft are also prevalent at the athletes’ village. A laptop and clothing were stolen from the Australian team during a fire evacuation on July 30.
On the health front, the water at some Olympic aquatic venues recorded 1.7 million times more bacteria than allowed by U.S. and European standards. This is enough to make athletes suffer stomach aches, respiratory problems and even encephalitis if ingested.
Last month, a body was found alongside Copacabana beach, a major Rio tourist attraction. Police are yet to identify the victim.
Now, more than 2,000 military personnel are on Rio’s streets to bolster security for athletes and visitors.
But despite the problems, city mayor Eduardo Paes has constantly said that the media will praise Rio after the Olympics.