Viewership and attendance at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio are way down. Maybe it’s because of Zika and corruption, or maybe it’s just because they haven’t turned the cameras to what’s happening outside.
Leading up to the games, several Olympians were robbed on the street, with three of them getting robbed inside the Olympic Village. The Sun is reporting that the activity is continuing and the tourists are ripe for the picking. The crimes range from slapping a cell phone out of your hand and running with it, to jumping into a bus window to grab your stuff, or just flat out knocking you to the ground and wrestling you for your bags. Targets range from phones and wallets to handbags, jewelry, and even items as simple as headphones.
The chiefs of the Olympic committee have not been shy about voicing their concerns about the lackluster security apparatus in Rio and they are saying the host city isn’t doing enough to protect either the athletes or the visitors. This was only punctuated the other day when a bullet hit the media tent and two team officials were robbed at knifepoint.
One member of the International Olympic Committee had this to say:
“The host nation is responsible for the safety of the 10,500 athletes who are in Rio right now, and it is just not good enough. I went into six venues today. At two of them they did look at my accreditation, one was a cursory glance and three took no look whatsoever. You know they all smile and say hello when you walk through they are very friendly but they don’t actually look at what’s hanging around your neck.”
The video below shows thieves in Rio just a couple months before the games, honing their skills in preparation for the thousands of fans who were set to attend.