What’s the story
Six months after its culmination, Rio Olympics is back making headlines. The various venues, most of which were specially constructed for the event are currently in a lamentable state. Reports in CNN have also claimed that the venues have been subjected to robberies, along with vandalism.
The Maracana, where the opening and closing ceremonies, along with football finals were staged is in a sorry state as well.
"There are things that you can see on the surface that are damaged, like the grass and the seats. However, what we are most concerned about is the safety of the people who are coming to Maracana and we need to make sure things, like the stadium's roof, weren't compromised,” a spokesperson for an organisation responsible for the stadium’s well-being told CNN.
In case you didn’t know...
Surprisingly, this is not the first time that Rio Olympics venues are in the news. Prior to the event, there was a lot of controversy surrounding the inability of Brazilian government to finish the construction of venues on time.
With 100 days to go for the commencement of the Games, the construction was somehow completed with some patch-up work still left.
Heart of the matter
The Maracana and the Olympic Aquatic Centre are the ones most affected. While the former has lost 10% of its 78,000 seats, the latter has panels falling off from the main structure. The swimming pools at the venue in a sorry state as well, with a swampy outlook.
Electricity at the Maracana has been cut as well due to the non-payment of outstanding bills. According to state energy provider Light, the stadium is in a debt of about three million Brazilian reals ($939, 937).
Reportedly, televisions from the stadium have been stolen as well.
What's Next
The future doesn’t look bright for these sporting arenas as well. Brazil is in the midst of one of its worst recessions in recent past and there are a few disputes as well regarding who is responsible for the stadiums’ plight.
Rio Olympics organisers have cleared their stance, saying they are not responsible for the conditions. Though they admitted to the fact they need to help in some of the repair works.
Sportskeeda’s take
The pictures which have come out are eye-popping and extremely disappointing. This incident has yet again proved that the country was in not a favourable position to host the biggest sporting extravaganza on the face of earth, and is still struggling.
