Is The New Yorker Sabotaging Brazil's Olympic Bid?

The gloves are off! Brazilian paper O Globo is angry that the New Yorker of published an article about crime and drugs in Rio just days before the International Olympic Committee decides the location of the 2016 summer games. This comes the day after former New Yorker coverboy President Obama flew to Copenhagen on behalf of the Chicago 2016 bid. However, besides the gang violence, Rio may not have the financial capacity to host the games as it recently had to cancel several international swimming events. Whatever, the New Yorker is probably just bitter that we didn't get the bid for 2012, right?

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By Jaya Saxena in News on October 1, 2009 11:53 AM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

And to think they had awesome plans for the Child Abduction Competition arena.

EastRiver

I think it will come down to Chicago and Rio. If Madrid won it would mean five of the last seven games were in Europe (Athens 2004, Turin 2006, London 2012, Sochi 2014, Madrid 2016). And since US television rights are the single largest revenue source for any games I would bet the IOC would prefer a games in roughly the same time zone as the US. The rights have not been awarded yet and the networks will surely bid less on another games in Asia or Europe than they would for if the games are in the Americas. And I would not be surprised if the Koreans are against the Tokyo bid since they have twice bid for a winter games in Pyeongchang and are shooting for 2018.

That said, I don't see how any city other than Rio can win. There must be huge pressure to award the first games to South America.

whatsd

Well, hyper-conservative Drudgereport keeps running headlines of any criminal incident in Chicago in an effort to derail their chances, and thus being able to point fingers at Obama for a botched sales job.

non_sequitur

People forget that Brazil has the World Cup in 2014... it's not as if they're struggling for international attention.

matty

I would be both happy and sad if either won.

I love Chicago and want it to win, but I don't want it to turn into the country's largest real estate deal, which it probably will.

I also love the rio bid, and I would like it to win because they have a great concept as well the fact that rio is new to the olympic stage. Hopefully it could also be used as an opportunity to discuss the rainforests in brazil. That being said, Brazil is not exactly known for its transparent and progressive government so it could end up benefitting just a few people as well. I'd also be sad if it went to rio because it's not chicago, my home city.

longacre

Clearly the New Yorker is on the White House/Chicago/Oprah payroll. Or maybe they're just telling the truth.

Guest

When Obama was in Denmark trying to get the Olympics did he show them this video; http://wordonthestreetsmag.com/chicagos-youth-crisis-teens-killing-teens-16-yr-old-beaten-to-death/

Chicago is just as much a shithole as Rio is if not more

SC

Because one highly-publicized murder equals having one of the highest violent crime rates in the world.

Having been to both cities in the last two years, I can say this... I've never seen a teenager armed with both an assault rifle and a broadsword (at the same time!) on a street corner in broad daylight in Chicago. Can't say the same for Rio.

It's a spectacular city to visit, but it's simply not up to the task yet.

Rocknrope

I remember being in a cab in Rio a few years ago, and the driver wasn't stopping and barely slowing down at red lights or stop signs. I asked him why he wasn't stopping, and he said that they made ok to not stop, because too many people were getting held up and car jacked when stopped at a red light. It was not comforting.

Potty Boy

Yup. That's the word there. All the books say that too. When I was down there, I must have looked like one of the poorest tourists. I kept absolutely nothing on me, especially not a digital camera. I used a cheapie disposable. No watches, no jewelry, no nothing. But, I have to say, I loved Rio, had a great time, no incidents. I would love to see them host the Olympics and hope that the economic boost can help them clean up some of the favelas.

But, here's a question: when do they host it? During their summer? Summer for them is wintertime for everyone in the Northern Hemisphere.

hotstepper

after letting china have the olympics, anything goes. next up Beirut 2020!

ides_of_march

Go Rio!

Why should the US hog up all the Olympic Games? We've had more than any other country. But I guess Obama has to pay back his political godfathers back in Chicago somehow. That's all that's important.

John_Matrix

what are you some kind of leftist shill? i bet you worship lula.

Kojak

True. Even with their issues, South America should get an Olympics. And I wouldn't doubt they'd do whatever is possible to make it a successful one.

Kojak

The New Yorker is an insufferable magazine, but they do have a valid point. If you doubt it, watch City of God, or visit the place yourself and take a walk through the favelas.