Ten Thousand Athletes Expected in Brazil for Summer Olympics

Rio de Janeiro will host the XXXI (31^st) Olympiad in August. More than 10,000 athletes from 206 countries have been invited to go to Brazil for the Summer Olympics. They will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in some 200 events, assuming the events happen as planned.

Nearly every country that has hosted the Olympic Games had controversy during the last few months of preparation. The problems usually involve construction delays and political discord. As the deadline for the opening ceremonies approaches, Brazil is no exception to having problems preparing.

A major contractor was replaced early this year by Brazilian officials. That led to delays in completing construction of 41 major venues. At least one upper-level governor in Brazil faces impeachment for embezzlement of Olympic funds. Brazil is also host to the mosquito transmitted Zika virus, a worldwide health concern.

A handful of U.S. and world-wide athletes said they will not attend the games in Brazil because of the possibility of contracting the virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement that the chance of any visitors contracting the Zika virus while visiting Brazil is less than one percent. The WHO supports no actions to move or postpone the 31^st Summer Games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is working to get the concerns about lack of readiness of venues and health scares under control before the opening ceremonies on August 5^th.

Brazil is pursuing every means to be ready to host the Olympics; it will be the first time the Games will be held in South America. Rio will gain millions of dollars from the Olympic Games. And Brazil hopes to get big money from tourism that will result from the publicity of hosting the competitions.

By area, Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest country in the world. Brazil also ranks number five in world-wide population with more than 200 million people.

Brazil is a country full of contrasts compared to the rest of the continent. Most South American countries surrounding Brazil speak Spanish. However, Brazilians speak Portuguese. European explorers came into Brazil in the 1500s. They influenced the culture by bringing Africans and Western Europeans who blended with the Americans of Brazil. This blending of cultures, unique to Brazil, influenced the way citizens of Brazil openly invited Western people.  Portugal, a nation famous for its explorers and world-wide sailors, claimed Brazil as a colony in the first part of the 16^th century. Portuguese became the dominating language.

A huge religious statue overlooks Rio de Janeiro (which means January River) from the peak of the 2,300 foot Corcovado Mountain. The statue symbolizes the feelings of world peace popularized by the mostly Roman Catholic population. It’s an icon known throughout the world and thousands of visitors during the Olympic Games will undoubtedly take the elevator ride to the base of the structure. The statue, called Christ the Redeemer, is nearly 125 feet high. Public donations helped pay for the five-year construction project. The 700 ton statue consists of reinforced concrete with an outer layer of soapstone. It was dedicated on October 12, 1931.

Undoubtedly, future host cities of the Olympic games will face their own controversy. Boston will host the next Summer Olympics in 2020. The Winter Olympics in 2018 will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

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