Even by past Olympic standards, countdown to Rio presents a daunting list of concerns

By Jerry Langton

Every Olympics seems to have its will-it-happen issue. At Atlanta 1996 it was fear of terrorists; at Beijing 2008 the air quality caused concern; we wondered if the infrastructure would be finished (and safe) for Athens 2004. Unseasonably warm weather was the problem at Vancouver 2010, and at Sochi 2014, there was a laundry list of potential disasters that launched the popular Twitter hashtag #sochiproblems. While all of those Olympics came off, the problems facing Rio de Janeiro 2016 keep accumulating and threatening the Games (this week's latest along these lines surround construction delays pushing back test events at the aquatics venue and the velodrome).

A primary concern, especially for women, is the Zika virus — a mosquito-borne and potentially sexually transmitted disease that can cause birth defects. The Brazilian government has taken many steps to quell the disease, including using gamma rays to sterilize mosquitos in an effort to reduce their population. While the World Health Organization recently announced that athletes “should not fear” the disease at the Games, many are taking precautions. Brenda Bowskill, a sailor from Whitby, Ont., who hopes to qualify for the games, feels confident that the strategy Sail Canada has adopted will keep her safe.

“Our doctors have told us to decrease any potential exposure to it,” she said. “We’ve been instructed to cover up, stay in accommodations with air conditioning and use plenty of DEET.”

Not all cases of Zika have frightening consequences, though. Spanish sailor Marina Alabau, a gold medalist, told the Associated Press she contracted Zika while training in Brazil and that her symptoms passed within 24 hours. “I didn’t even go to the hospital,” she said.

A bigger concern, for some athletes, is the water quality of Guanabara Bay — where many events will be held —which The Guardian has likened to “basically raw sewage” and reported pollution levels up to 1.7 million times higher than the amount it takes California to close its beaches. And it’s not just contaminated water, there are other dangers. In training, Brazilian sailor Thomas Low-Beer hit what he thinks was a sofa and his boat capsized.

Bowskill has sailed in dirty water before, dodging garbage, dead animals and other debris, and says that she is sensitive to water changes even in countries with better reputations for sewage treatment than Brazil. She hasn’t been to Rio yet, but said that her colleagues and coaches who have assured her that it’s not as bad as some believe. And IOC, Rio 2016 and Brazilian government officials insist that the water will be up to international standards when competition begins. Still, Bowskill’s taking no chances.

“I’ll have hand sanitizer on the boat and extra sailing gear so that if I wear something one day, I’ll get rid of it and put on new gear,” she said. “I’m also bringing bottled water and not using ice cubes.” As for debris, she’ll just have to trust her sailing ability.

If that’s not enough, Brazil has fallen into a deep recession and news of a massive corruption scandal have raised concerns that the infrastructure necessary to run the Games properly will actually be finished on time and up to standard. But just as with Olympics in the past, athletes like Bowskill can only wait and hope for the best.