Rio’s corruption points to the lie in the Olympic ideal
Spare a thought for Rio de Janeiro today when Paris (2024) and Los Angeles (2028) are confirmed as the next Olympic hosts after Tokyo. The 2016 Rio Games stand as a shocking indictment of the International Olympic Committee’s gigantism, its failure to stop host cities from using the “greatest show on earth” as an opportunity for elites to allegedly carve up construction budgets.
The Rio Games are tumbling into a swamp more noxious than the polluted waters that became such an obsession for Western journalists. Over to Juliana Barbassa, one of the editors of a new book called Rio 2016 – Olympic Myths, Hard Realities, who writes in Americas Quarterly: “Federal prosecutors are now looking for evidence of malfeasance in all Olympic venues and services that relied on federal funds. Former Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes is under investigation for (allegedly) taking bribes in connection to Olympic projects.
“The state’s former governor Sergio Cabral has been sentenced to 14 years for corruption in connection to public works, including Rio’s Maracana stadium which hosted Rio’s colourful opening ceremony. Marcelo Odebrecht, former CEO of Latin America’s largest construction conglomerate, is serving 19 years in prison on similar charges.” Barbassa quotes prosecutor Fabiana Schneider: “The Olympic Games were used as a big trampoline for acts of corruption.”
There will be no mention of this when the IOC anoints Paris and Los Angeles. The circus will move on without thought for the IOC’S complicity in the “regeneration” lie.
Every Ashes “look-ahead” expresses doubts about at least three of the possible England batsmen: Tom Westley, Dawid Malan and Keaton Jennings, with plenty unsure also about
Mark Stoneman. Cricket historians will say this is common, but it looks like a malfunction of the talent production system after a long period of success. It also places extra strain on Joe Root, in his first tour as captain, and Alastair Cook, who has opened with 12 different partners in five years.
Some of those recruits will be broken in Australia, and some may be made.
It was ever thus in Ashes cricket. But there are too many doubts for England to feel their current batsman-development chain is strong.