Why the 2016 Olympics Should Not be Held in Brazil

      Attending the Olympic Games is a huge tradition for almost all countries. The games make a cultural impact on any country who hosts them and brings big economy boosts for many businesses. But in the end they are just games. The Olympic games aren't something that must go on as scheduled in the face of a national health issue. The Zika virus is effecting many woman and children in the Brazilian culture, causing many babies to be born with brain damage and noticeably smaller heads, also known as Microcephaly. Postponing the games would let Brazil get the Zika virus under control -possibly clean up the water for the water events, and create a vaccine- rather than trying to run an Olympics and battle an epidemic at the same time. We should not risk the health of all the athletes, spectators and unborn children by going to Brazil for our own entertainment when we could have the games somewhere else in the world, or post-pone it all together.

      The first modern Olympics took place in Athens, Greece, in 1896, with a crowd of 60,000 people who welcomed 280 participants from 13 nations (Olympic 2016). About 500,000 people are expected to visit Brazil for the 2016 Olympics (Romero and Ruiz 2016). According to the World Health Organization, "Zika has spread to more than 20 nations and territories in the Western Hemisphere, illustrating how quickly the epidemic can expand, even without a big international gathering" (Romero and Ruiz 2016). Infectious disease specialists who are focused on the potential for Zika to be spread to the United States say, "As many as 200,000 Americans are expected to travel to Rio de Janeiro for the Olympics in August. When they return to the Northern Hemisphere and its summer heat, far more mosquitoes will be around to potentially transmit the virus in the United States" (Romero and Ruiz 2016). If we know the virus can spread this fast why would we take the chance of people coming back from Brazil and spreading it over the United States?
     
     If we did proceed to have the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, The International Olympic Committee states,"...We are working with our partners in Rio on measures to deal with the pools of stagnant water around the Olympic venues, where the mosquitoes breed, to minimize the risk of visitors coming into contact with them. It is also important to note that the Rio 2016 Games will take place during the winter months of August and September, when the drier, cooler climate significantly reduces the presence of mosquitoes and therefore the risk of infection" (Caplan 2016).  Yet 'winter' temperatures in Brazil average between 73 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit and mosquitos live in temperatures no lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so even if it is Brazil's 'drier, cooler season,' there is still a risk of mosquitos being around. Two-time Olympic gold medalist and a World Cup medalist for the U.S. women's soccer team Hope Solo said, "Even though she has no plans to become pregnant, she might not go to Brazil unless conditions related to Zika change. 'If I had to make the choice today, I wouldn’t go,' she told Sports Illustrated. 'I would never take the risk of having an unhealthy child.' Solo explained that women athletes have different considerations than men. 'Competing in the Olympics should be a safe environment for every athlete, male and female alike. Female athletes should not be forced to make a decision that could sacrifice the health of a child'" (Olympic Athletes 2016). Even if the Brazilian government assures us that sprays, insect repellants, and other measures will keep mosquitoes at bay we should not take the risk of infecting more women and children, and we should not make the women athletes have to choose if it is safe enough for them to participate in the Olympics Games.

Sources:
The New York Times
Olympic Athletes Concerned with Zika Virus
STAT Article: It's 'Senseless and Irresponsible' to not postpone the 2016 Rio Olympics
History- The Olympics