Rio Olympics - This Is Scary
 

Rio Olympics security firm fired, maligned police force takes over - Yahoo Sports

It's bad enough that something of this size is being held in a place of current dubious stability, but to think that the locals will have to basically handle all security (if that was a good idea, why not just plan on it in the first place?)...but what a better place and time for the scumbags to strike?

Common sense says that if something nefarious is being planned...it just became a lot easier with security being stretched so thin.

I really, really, have a bad feeling about this.

Never have I wished so much...that I was completely wrong. :(

Then the question becomes how are they going to get a police force that gets paid sporadically, at best, and has flat out stated they will not be responsible for Olympic security until everyone has been paid their full salaries to do more than stand around and do nothing? The last I had read was that Brazil was going to use private companies and the military. So,what happened to the military?

Totally agree, CNM, this Olympics is a tragedy in the making. It might make Munich look like a broken toe on a gymnast. Here's praying we are both wrong.

I'm right there with you.

Fingers are crossed so hard, it may affect my overlap grip. :(

And one other very meaningful piece of news no one seems to want to mention. One of the Gitmo terrorists who we released to Uruguay has somehow become lost and allowed to cross the border into Brazil. This happened about 3 months ago so he has had lots of time to travel the 214 miles to Rio and make what ever plans are needed to strike a major terrorist attack on these games.

Why does our news media ignore these things?

I agree completely with all posts on this page.

I am very afraid of a tragedy.

The Olympics in Rio should have already been cancelled, and after this fiasco enough should be enough. Given the reported security concerns (leaving out the health, safety and infrastructure problems already identified) and the visibility of the Olympics, no one should or will be surprised if a tragedy happens.

At least postpone the Olympics and change the venue to a city that has already hosted the summer Olympics. The city may need to do some work to refurbish, but it would not be the same as creating an entirely new venue from scratch, and better security could be put in place. At least this way, the athletes who have been training for this opportunity can still achieve their goals, and everyone can benefit from much better conditions.

Shame on the Olympic Committee that they apparently either did not require and/or validate (and calling to ask if they were on time doesn't count) that certain timeline "gates" were being met by the host city.

I totally agree with all the above posts.

The USA should have boycotted the Olympics this year. Look at the lack of security mentioned above. Those locals won't do anything in case of a terrorist attack - which is a huge possibility.

The sanitation of Rio is a joke. Raw sewage goes directly ito the bay where water events will be held.

Zika is a huge threat to competitors and visitors as well as the strong possibility of bringing Zika back home around the world.

The IOC must have received huge bribes and payoffs to have put the Olympics in Rio.

You gatta have a DEATH WISH to go there any time. Going for the Olympics is wishing it comes true.

Ditto to everything already said. I cannot imagine how athletes feel, those who have trained for who-knows-how-long. Do they play? Do they sit it out and miss the chance of a lifetime?

The Brazilian government paid hefty kickbacks to have the Olympic Committee chose their nation to host the games so the only way that is going to happen is that the Olympic committee has to give the money back.

In general the Olympic games have become more and more political . and the luster worn thin with the scandals involved doping pay offs, etc

The media ignore a story on a released terrorist? This surprises you? He's probably headed to Brazil to enjoy the synchronized swimming or something...

Not to worry. He's probably wearing a surveillance ankle bracelet, like this guy was......

France: Muslim who beheaded priest known to police, wore ankle bracelet to track movements

France: Muslim who beheaded priest known to police, wore ankle bracelet to track movements

I would like to read more about this, what is the source?

Easier said than done. It takes years of planning and preparation to host the Olympics. You just can't decide to change venues overnight. They will go on, for better or for worse.

Agreed and I recognize that the money won't go back, but this should at least trigger an investigation and a change. Yes, I know neither will happen either.........

The years of preparation and planning include the building of the venues, housing, transportation, etc. While it would not be an overnight change, certainly a former host city has infrastructure in place that might need upgrading which might be faster than a rebuild. Reality is that "the show will go on", so it is a no win situation.

6/17/16 -- "A former Guantanamo Bay prisoner transferred to Uruguay in 2014 has vanished and is believed to have left the country under uncertain circumstances, U.S. officials said.

Law enforcement is now searching for the former detainee, Syrian national Jihad Ahmed Mustafa Dhiab, in Brazil, a U.S. official said.

“We are coordinating with officials in Brazil and Uruguay to determine his whereabouts,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive incident..."

Law enforcement searching for former Guantanamo detainee in South America

Law enforcement searching for former Guantanamo detainee in South America - The Washington Post

****Unbelievable. I just noticed that his first name is "Jihad".

Are you referring to possible acts by " Islamic Terrorists " who believe that they are waging Global Jihad against the Infidels ?

Nope, I'm not that narrow-minded or prejudiced.

I'm referring to ANY scumbag, that wants to advance their own cause and to gain attention at such a public venue.

Read an article about the beginning of the Greek Olympics...a bit a trivia for posters the original an only event at the Olympics was a foot race of 200 yards called a stade. Hence we get the derivative stadium.

They will go on. Have been to Rio a couple of times, last year for Carneval. Just watch your surroundings. The National teams will have to beef up security for their athletes.

Just don't urinate in the Amazon!

Not even going to watch. Afraid of catching dysentary and zika

The Olympics quit being the Olympics to me the day pros were allowed to play. Jim Thorpe was stripped of his Olympic gold because he played for a semi-pro baseball team one summer (a sport that had nothing to with his Olympic medals unless you count running around bases and throwing a ball to be the equivalent of track and field). Then, so they could allow the "best" tennis, basketball, etc. players in, professionals were allowed. Now, many of the pros are saying they won't attend the Rio Games.

Most athletes train for the World events, which normally occur shortly after the Olympics. The Olympics is more for a chance to get together and party with fellow athletes and to compete for your country and, of course, cash in on having played at the Games and winning medals.

I sincerely hope and pray nothing bad happens in Rio but, I'm sorry to say that I really don't care if the Olympics dies out entirely.

Rio Olympics - This Is Scary
 

I somewhat agree some of your thinking regarding the Olympics and pro athletes. But any sport can be made to sound silly with a sarcastic description of the sport's basic goals. Baseball is just as worthy as most other sports.

Unless of course you're an Olympic purist and believe Track and Field should be its only sport.

Sorry, did not mean to even remotely imply that baseball was anything but a great game. It was meant as a dig at the IOC that (1) considered an athlete playing on a semi-pro sport as being a professional athlete, (2) that playing baseball must have been confused with track and field since baseball is played on a field, players do run and they do throw an object, (3) that the decision stunk when it was made and to rescind it not because Jim Thorpe deserved his medals but because it made allowing pros compete a little more palatable.

BTW, I love football but, to me, baseball is still and always will be America's game.

Ahh. I understand and agree. And my wife totally agrees with you about baseball! :)

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I totally agree.

While my national pride first swelled at the thought of the 'Dream Team' of Jordan, Magic, Bird et al, a slow realization came that the Olympics would never be quite the same.

The fact that the Olympics no longer require athletes to be true amateurs, has in my mind, tarnished the luster of what was the original intent.

As for Jim Thorpe, he has been a hero of mine since I first watched his movie (in black & white) when I was about 9 years old. He was such an amazing man, who overcame so many hardships, that I think it should be required viewing for kids at some point in school. :thumbup:

Today's paper has an article of how polluted the water (and even sand) is in Rio and it's sad at how corrupt the whole selection process is....which is the only reason they could have ever chosen this venue in the first place. :(

Oh no!!!! Anything but that.

As far as I'm concerned, the Olympics was ruined when they allowed professional athletes to compete. We will never have another Miracle on Ice moment again. Now it's no different from professional sports that we see every day.

I completely lost interest when it turned pro.

The Bryan brothers pulled out of men's doubles. Not much hope for men's tennis left for a medal. Go ladies!

That came about because countries such as the Soviets entered athletes that there job was being an athlete. That was their occupation and they were considered an amateur playing against our amateurs that had to work a regular job and were true amateurs.