Skip to main content

Will there be a 2016 Olympic Games?

By
Swimming
When Rio was selected as the city to hold the 2016 Olympics, both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Brazil, were very excited; this would be the first time a South American country would host the Olympic Games. At the time, Brazil was a very balanced country. Now, with a little less than 3 months until the world’s most popular and exciting sport event is to happen, many problems are arising. The first problem that that came into light is water pollution. Around August of last year, while testing the water conditions, experts realized that the water is contaminated. They found the waters of Rio to be extremely polluted, mainly with sewage. This is a huge problem because the water that is polluted is where the open water swimming, sailing, rowing, and kayaking events will be taking place. Test events took place in Guanabara Bay later in the year, and there have been reports that many athletes that participated in those test events have gotten sick as a result of the water. The IOC has stated that water will be safe by the time the games start, and they are working with Brazil and World Health Organization to achieve this goal.

Another problem that is arising is the Zika Virus. The Zika Virus is a disease that is usually transmitted by mosquitoes, but recent cases show it is possible for the virus to be sexually transmitted. This virus is mainly a problem for pregnant women, because if they receive the virus, there can be serious birth defects for the baby. There has been a surge of cases of this virus early this year, particularly in Brazil and the WHO has declared the Zika Virus a global health emergency. Because of this, they are urging women who are pregnant to not travel to Zika affected areas, which includes Brazil. Although Brazil is stating they will do whatever it takes to stop the spread of the virus, many athletes are worried about the virus as they are scared it can affect their children in the future.

Another problem is that Brazil is in a recession. Hundreds and thousands of people are unemployed and inflation has been sky high, and it looks like nothing is being done to fix it. According Bloomberg, more than 100,000 jobs have been cut in March as a result of the seemingly never ending recession. Experts believe Brazil will not get out of the recession anytime soon, if this continues.

And lastly, the country is dealing with whether or not to impeach President Dilma Rousseff as she is caught in a political scandal. Many Brazilians want her out of office. Although, the IOC is very confident that the Olympics will happen and by the time they begin, all the problems that are currently happening will be fixed, many are very wary. This leads everyone to ask this question; will the games begin or will they end even before the Olympic Torch is lit in Rio?

© 2016 Monique B. All rights reserved.
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

History Honors Society Wrapping Party

By
Hot chocolate, pretzels, marshmallows, wrapping paper and boxes towered feet high; that’s what you would have seen in the cafeteria during the History Honors Society wrapping party. After school, the café was filled with teens getting their volunteering hours while having fun and helping the community. Hundreds of gifts were being wrapped for the children at the Astor Home. Many of the children residing there were not fortunate enough to get gifts from parents or family. The wrapping party exists as a fun activity that helps provide for those who do not have the same as others. If only you could see their faces when they opened the gifts donated by the John Jay Student Body and teachers. Gifts ranged from giant teddy bears to Pokémon cards and comfy clothes, each specially wrapped by students for a great cause. It was really amazing to see how the John Jay community came together to make this happen. I cannot wait until next year to do it again! By Chelsea Co.
Read more

Syrian Civil War

By
By Nico Z. The Syrian crisis is one of the most complicated international crises in the world. With clashes between government forces and opposition forces, Syria is plagued by a violent civil war that has resulted in at least 250,000 deaths and the rise of Islamic militant groups. Multiple international interventions have only added to the turmoil. It seems as if there is no solution to the conflict. Or is there? March 15, 2011: The Syrian Civil War began as a series of civilized protests against President Bashar al-Assad. Notorious for its poor human rights record and tyrannical nature, the Assad regime responded with violent crackdowns. As a result, there was further unrest. The government’s use of force only worsened the violence. Four months later, the riots were nationwide. Ever since the beginning of the civil war, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, have supported the rebels by supplying them with weapons and other military equipment. U.S. President Barack Obama ha
Read more

Round of Applause

By
At John Jay, we are known for having good athletic teams, ranging from football to volleyball, and no one can deny that we are proud of all our athletes. However, I think there should be an equal amount of pride when it comes to the arts. On February 19th, the Talent Show—hosted by La Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica (Spanish Honor Society)—displayed phenomenal talent. Experiencing it first-hand, I was floored by how amazing all the performances were. At one moment, we were watching a Spanish cultural dance with amazing coordination and then the next, a satire on political debates with Ben Carson falling asleep in the middle of it. We even witnessed the epic rap style of Mr. Davis, with lines flowing so fast, I think he dropped a whole mixtape in just four minutes. If you didn’t come to watch, you also unfortunately missed the reigning champions, now called “Desi Empire.” With their mix of Indian dancing and American pop music, they killed it, earning their spot as number one. Others danc
Read more