Will the Zika virus derail the 2016 Olympics in Brazil?

Hosting the Olympics is a big deal, it puts nations on the map and shows their first world status; it is a great honor and it is very expensive; not all nations can afford to even consider it, and those that do often have to shell out big bucks to host the games and deal with the economic costs later, paying off the debt and bonds taken to make it all happen. In hindsight, many countries wish they had reconsidered their choice to participate in the big games. Brazil will host the 2016 Olympics, but the problems are already mounting. Let’s talk.

Well, now everyone is worried about the Zika virus in Latin America, and specifically tourists from the 2016 Olympics are considering skipping the trip, which could wreak havoc on the financial challenges Brazil already faces with a declining economy and a negative GDP growth. An article in the Daily Mail published on January 30, 2016 titled; “Could the rampant Zika virus that causes deformed babies stop the Olympics? Rio faces a crisis as female spectators and athletes are warned not to attend,” said Flora Drury; four important new developments for this crisis:

– Panic is spreading six months before the Opening Ceremony

– Australian team tells female athletes to consider entering ‘very carefully’

– Airlines offering refunds to pregnant women traveling to infected countries

– The government says it is doing everything possible before the Games

Of course, this isn’t the only problem, as the Brazilian government has displaced slums for Olympic facility development and moved to clean up crime-ridden areas in general to avoid negative PR on the world stage during the games. All of this has already come at a cost to its international reputation around the world, perhaps similar to the problem of smog and air pollution leading up to and during the Beijing Olympics in China.

The Guardian reported that Brazilian police are moving to clean up areas where Olympic visitors are allowed to travel; “Rio de Janeiro police killed 1,500 in five years, says Amnesty International,” the article said; “Report From Rights Group Finds Nearly One In Six Homicides In Brazil’s Olympic City Was Committed By Duty Officers And Most Victims Were Young, Poor, Black And Male,” And More;

“In a study of official data and news reports from the host city of the Olympic Games, civil rights groups found that nearly one in six homicides was committed by on-duty police officers as part of a ‘scare strategy’ in favela communities,” he said. more than 75% of the victims from 2010 to 2013 were black men between the ages of 15 and 29. Most of the cases were filed as “resistance followed by death”, which shields the perpetrators from civilian courts. Out of 220 investigations, Amnesty found only one case that led to an accused officer.”

Now some do not ask if the Games will lose money in Brazil, but how much. That’s unfortunate, and something to consider. Think about it.