Brazilians worry more about corruption than Olympic ‘readiness’

Zika virus. Crime. Raw sewage at sporting venues. Unfinished construction. Such negative themes dominate media coverage leading up to next month’s Summer Olympic Games in Rio. But every host city preparing to welcome the world has faced unique headaches. And the show always goes on.

“Brazil is more relaxed than the U.S.,” 26-year-old José Augusto Martins told me last month in Rio, insisting everything would be ready, despite the timetable not being like the build-up seen for the Atlanta Games in 1996 or the Athens Games in 2004. Martins is an administrator at an anti-doping lab that will test thousands of samples before and during the games, and his behind-the-scenes view feeds his optimism.

But worry and negative publicity about the Rio Olympics in developed countries has pushed some athletes to withdraw from competition over fears for their safety or health. Among them are all four of golf’s top players, including Jordan Spieth and U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson.

Some Rio residents—or Cariocas, as they call themselves—agree with the criticism, in principle. Fernando Caldas told me the city should not be hosting the games. His concern is not the event itself or how ready Brazil is, but rather the massive corruption that pervades industries preparing the games’ sites. Caldas sees the long-term effects of “a horrible economic crisis” in the country, made worse by misused money that “could have been better spent.” He cited teachers, doctors, and police—all on Brazil’s state payroll—who are not getting paid right now or who only get their salary in installments.

Besides the upcoming impeachment trial of President Dilma Rousseff, this year Brazilians are watching an unfolding corruption investigation that started at the state-run oil giant Petrobras. Prosecutors say corruption was so rife at Odebrecht—a construction company involved in many Olympic projects—that the company even maintained a department to disburse bribes. Former socialist president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was also indicted on money laundering charges.

Rio Games organizers budgeted about $2 billion for operations, and another $10-$12 billion in public and private money is being spent on urban transportation projects generated by the Olympics. But Cariocas are suspicious about the vast amount of money and increased opportunities for embezzlement.

Rio mayor Eduardo Paes defended the city’s transformation.

“You can’t expect the Olympics to solve all the social problems here,” he said. “We are not a city like London or Chicago. You can’t expect as much from us.”

And Rio isn’t the first host city to suffer from low expectations ahead of time, only to pull off a problem-free event. Even at the Sochi Games in 2014, the lack of completed hotels and other facilities, not to mention the paucity of snow and athlete activism over Russia’s laws against homosexuality, did not spoil the festivities.

As thousands of athletes and a half million tourists prepare to grapple with Rio’s infrastructure and health concerns, many Brazilians echo Carlos Nuzman, president of the Olympic organizing committee.

“Rio will be the Olympic city with the greatest transformation,” he has said repeatedly, adding Rio’s people “are the ones who will get the most from the games,” regardless of naysayers and those hungry for gains in their own corner of the city.

Sportswear retailer Cléber França told me transportation improvements are the biggest blessing Rio will get from the Olympics. Cariocas also hope the Olympics are a boost to tourism, since unemployment stands at 10 percent and Brazil currently receives a meager 6 million visitors per year—about the same as the city of Charleston, S.C.

Most Brazilians and many Americans might not be able afford tickets to the Games, though the official website shows some tickets as low as $70. About half cost an average of $250. Though ticket sales for Olympic events are reported to be slow, as of February sales income had reached 74 percent of the targeted figure.

As Rio de Janeiro gets ready for the Aug. 5 opening at the fabled Maracanã soccer stadium, Rio residents often jest among themselves for reassurance: “God is Brazilian—and he lives in Rio.”