Rio Olympics: IOC secretly inquires about moving events to London

Oct 24, 2013; Rio de Janiero, BRA; An aerial view of Christ the Redeemer statue on top of Corcovado mountain overlooking the city of Rio, Guanabara Bay (left) and Sugarloaf mountain (right) in Rio during the first world press briefing for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports /

How much of a mess have the preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics become? The IOC reportedly has met in secret with officials about the possibility of moving certain events to London in the event Rio can’t get its act together.

So, that’s pretty bad.

The Rio games preparations have been plagued by all sorts of issues, including behind-schedule venue construction and accusations of negligence. IOC vice president John Coates called Brazil’s efforts “the worst I’ve seen.”

A source told the London Evening Standard, “At a comparable planning stage in 2004 Athens had done 40 per cent of preparations on infrastructure, stadiums and so on. London had done 60 per cent. Brazil has done 10 per cent – and they have just two years left. So the IOC is thinking, ‘What’s our plan B?’

“Obviously, the answer would be to come back to London. It’s very unlikely but it would be the logical thing to do.”

Landing the Olympics was supposed to be a great step forward for Brazil as it joins the major nations of the world. But the whole thing has just turned into a black eye for the country.

People were already concerned that crime-ridden Rio would not be a safe environment for athletes and spectators, and now it appears the city may suffer the ultimate indignity by having events taken away entirely.

Just a disaster.

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