Limited access to Canada House
One of the toughest tickets at the 2016 Olympics is an invitation to Canada House because most of the time the only people welcome there are Olympians, their kin and their friends.
Three distinct philosophies are on display at the more than 30 “mini-embassies” in Rio that have become an unofficial part of every Olympic Games since Barcelona 24 years ago.
Denmark and Qatar welcome thousands of Brazilians every day to meet their athletes and catch a glimpse and sometimes get a taste of what life is like in those countries.
The Germans, Austrians and Dutch run hugely popular party houses where athletes can hang out privately or mingle with Brazilians. Schnitzel and sausages are cooked up, the beer flows and the music blares until the wee hours. The Finns have brought in a Santa Claus. The Swiss have built a synthetic hockey rink where Brazilians can go skating.
The Canadian Olympic Committee has a Canadacentric approach. Access is restricted to Olympians and their kin as well as corporate sponsors. Few Brazilians get in.
“Our focus is on family and friends and athletes, full stop,” said Derek Kent, the COC’s chief marketing officer. “That is our top priority. Our Canada House is designed with that in mind. The purpose it to celebrate those who compete. There is not a dry eye in the house when the national anthem is played.”
The COC offers food and drink, and a chance to watch live CBC and Radio Canada feeds. Canada House hosts fetes for medallists, and a day is set aside when those with Canadian passports can visit and quaff one of 40,000 cans of beer imported from Canada.
The difference in the numbers of visitors to Canada House and to the other “miniembassies” is stark. A Canadian volunteer at Canada House estimated that it was hosting between 200 and 250 visitors a day. The Danes, who are on Ipanema, are receiving 6,000 to 7,000 visitors every day in a temporary beachside structure that they believe captures their country’s ecofriendly, progressive spirit.
“Everything is about getting people to take part, to have fun,” said spokesperson Kathrin Lind Gustavussen as children from Rio’s favelas played on a “Happy Wall” a few metres away. “We are a small country and we are proud to show what we have.”
“The Heart of Denmark” has been built around the Danes’ progressive lifestyle and their passion for cycling. Cellphones can be recharged by pedalling a stationary bicycle. What will be the world’s largest Lego bicycle is being built, as is a Lego depiction of the Rio skyline.
But the Olympics are front and centre, too. A Danish rowing crew dropped by to show Brazilians their silver medals. A Dane competing in golfing had given a clinic.
Near Guanabara Bay, where Olympic sailing and windsurfing are taking place, the Qataris have created what is by far the most lavish “house.”
The Gulf kingdom has already been awarded world championships in gymnastics and swimming, as well as football’s World Cup in 2022. But the big prize that it is after is the 2028 Olympics.
“Some people don’t know we exist. Others don’t know where to find us on a map,” said Sheikha Asma Al Thani. “We wanted a big space because we wanted public areas as well as private places to receive VIPs and an athletes’ lounge.”
Poor Brazilians — and there are millions of them in Rio — have felt shut out of the Olympic Games because they cannot afford to go to the most popular events. Those in line to enter the Danish and Qatari houses expressed disappointment that Canada and other countries such as China and the U.S. had restrictive entrance policies.
Trying to compare the Olympic houses is impossible because their intent varies so widely. They are also funded differently.
The Qataris are backed by one of the wealthiest governments in the world. The Swiss have a budget of $8 million, much of it from companies such as Omega. The Danish setup costs nearly $4 million and is funded by the government and corporate sponsors.
Canada House receives no government money, the COC’s Kent said. His organization had organized its house with the help of partners such as Canadian Tire, Petro-Canada and Bell Canada.
“This absolutely works for us,” Kent said. “We’ll sit down and evaluate after the games but we think we’ve got it just right.”
David Bissett, who played field hockey at two Olympics, is a fan of how the COC has done things.
“It is payback for parents who have invested so much in their children and in sport for so long,” said the lawyer, whose nephew was on the Canadian field hockey team. “Canada House is like a refuge.
“But I can see how it would also have been good to have done something for the Brazilians, too. It really is a question of money and space.”