Hosting the Olympic Games is no cakewalk.
With just two weeks left until the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a host of issues still plague the preparations.
However, problems surrounding the Olympic host city is not a new phenomenon by any means; for years, Olympic host cities have struggled to get their act together in advance of, during, and even after inviting the world’s best athletes to their towns.
Here’s a look back at the Olympic games that have hit serious speed bumps along the way.
1. Summer 2016: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Preparations for this year’s Summer Olympics have been fraught with borderline disaster. Sailors are getting sick from the polluted water, dead bodies are washing up onshore, and the threat of Zika virus has terrified athletes and visitors alike.
To make matters even more of a train wreck, unpaid police and firefighters recently stood in Rio’s international airport with a sign that said, “Welcome to hell.”
2. Winter 2014: Sochi, Russia
The Olympics in Sochi were riddled with problems: Russian President Vladimir Putin spent $50 billion on the Games, but the money spent was not reflected in the quality of the facilities.
People tweeted out some of the most hideous conditions they found in their lodgings in Sochi. One tenant offered to barter three light bulbs for a door handle, another showcased unfiltered water in the hotel, and another demonstrated the sub-par plumbing system.
3. Summer 2008: Beijing, China
Though the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics were characterized by stunning artistry and precision, a cloud hung over the city during the Games — literally.
The Telegraph reports that according to the World Health Organization, athletes were exposed to “levels of coarse particular matter higher than considered safe” four-fifths of the time they were in the Chinese capital. This toxic air is said to cause 1 million premature deaths annually across China.
4. Winter 2010: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Tragedy struck the Olympics in Vancouver when Georgian athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili died during a training run for the luge. Near the end of the course, Kumaritashvili was thrown from his sled and struck a steel pillar. After the crash, ESPN reports, workers constructed a wooden wall to cover the row of steel beams he hit, while others were wrapped in padding.
The Olympics in Vancouver also suffered from an H1N1 scare, more commonly known as swine flu. British Columbia ended up offering free vaccinations to athletes and fans to combat the pandemic.
5. Summer 2004: Athens, Greece
Though the Olympic Games in Athens experienced relatively little issues and, according to Greek media, was a net positive for the economy, it has been hypothesized that hosting the Games was the beginning of Greece’s economic decline.
According to The Guardian, the facilities built for the Games are in disrepair and go largely unused. Some host cities have managed to turn their Olympics sites into tourist attractions, but for others, the Olympics may be an empty financial promise.
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5 Olympic Games That Contended With Some Serious Problems originally appeared on usnews.com
