I just read that two horses stabled at the Olympic venue (not competing horses) were euthanized for Glanders.
Anyone travelling there?
Honestly, there is not enough money/fame in the world that would get me to go there.
Me either.
This entire thing is such a CF. If I owned one of the horses chosen I wouldn’t let it go, sorry, not worth the risk for either rider or the horse. Some athletes that are already down there have been mugged as well.
I guess I haven’t been paying attention to how really bad things are down there. How on Earth did they ever get awarded the Games? There has to have been a payoff somewhere.
I’m afraid that mugging is the least of the dangers the athletes will be exposed to.
[QUOTE=dotneko;8768652]
I guess I haven’t been paying attention to how really bad things are down there. How on Earth did they ever get awarded the Games? There has to have been a payoff somewhere.[/QUOTE]
When they were awarded the games Brazil was really growing and going through an economic boom, all the political unrest as well as recession is only a recent development. The corruption was always there though.
The incident when two horses were euthanized occurred some time ago, in 2013, I believe.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/brazil-fights-another-epidemic-before-olympics-1469482459
Odd - since it was posted on my facebook feed from an FEI rider today. Perhaps he didn’t see a date on it. I just assumed it was recent.
I’ll take your tickets in a heartbeat.
Things are never so bad as portrayed.
Pickpockets would keep me on guard tho.
humans wanna go there?
sure! goferit!
unfortunately horses don’t get to make their own decisions.
(and fwiw I wouldn’t have allowed a horse of mine to go to hong kong)
I am so disinvested in these Games. so much money being spent on thousands of mainly spoiled & selfish humans. “Atheletes” even the ones from 3rd world countries have NOTHING in their souls that De Courbetain (sp?) could recognise.
I have more admiration for the golfers that have chosen to stay away - and that’s not a sentence I ever imagined typing! :eek:
signed
BTDT got the Tshirt and it’s all just so fake.
Nope. Brazil is such a remote country for me.
Just tell that to the athletes who have spent their lives striving to be the best and believe in the Games, Thylacine.
BTW - what did you get your t-shirt for?
Read in a few different places that alot of the water games are taking place in waters contaminated with alot of human feces. Something like 80percent was suppose to be cleaned up, but will be closer to 65. Some teams (read the Americans) have special suits to help ward off the nastiness in the water.
Nope not a chance in hell. I now think the horse sports of the Olympics (if they stay in the games at all) should be rotated through well known venues like Aachen and some of the other top sites that are already wonderfully equipped for horse sports.
I wouldn’t have let a horse of mine go to Hong Kong and no way Jose to Rio with all the crap associated with that. Plus horses scream RICH people - and I’d think anyone who is an owner will have hired their own private security to cover them. But that takes the fun out of the whole trip.
I keep up with the PGA Tour (golf), and there have been quite a few notable golfers who have removed themselves from the selection process (after being selected) citing fear of Zika.
What I find to be interesting is that the PGA’s Web .Com Tour had an event in Brazil earlier this year (with the same Zika fear), and not one player pulled out of the competition.
IMO, the biggest issue (and the “real” reason many of the golfers chose not to represent their country) with the games in Rio this year will be security based…not necessarily with crimes such as muggings, etc., but with something bigger and far more global.
Having traveled pretty extensively recently in Central and South America - water contamination is endemic there - in some countries (not Brazil, but nearby) untreated sewage runs in gutters to the ocean. Hey, the ocean is big, it can handle it, right? Most of the countries where this happens are working on upgrading their infrastructure, but that’s a pretty big task when it’s country-wide!
As well, crime (petty theft, particularly) has ALWAYS been bad in Brazil and neighboring countries.
One thing I was thinking about with regard to the golfers - they spend a lot of time walking and playing on prime territory - they aren’t in a stadium, and they mostly walk and stand around the course, so I would think they would be at greater risk - I don’t blame them at all for not going.
[QUOTE=AffirmedHope;8768745]
When they were awarded the games Brazil was really growing and going through an economic boom, all the political unrest as well as recession is only a recent development. The corruption was always there though.[/QUOTE]
On the other hand if people on this board ask about moving to a new boarding barn that is promising outdoor lights on the riding ring, new fencing, new ring footing etc… many people will remind them to base their decision to move on the current facility. Most of the times the promises of upgrades won’t materialize.
I understand that it is very common that the Olympic facilities won’t exist when the contract is awarded. However, Brazil has always had a high crime rate. They have always had a lot of corruption. The lack of facilities was just the tip of the iceberg here. They have many more issues such as the pollution and lack of transportation to update.
They are also a democratic nation. I think that places like Hong Kong and Russia that fall under a Communist regime can impose their will on the corporations that are polluting and on the populace to toe the line and facilities and infastructure will be in place OR ELSE…
I think it is hard to change the basic human rights culture of a country just because the Olympics are coming. In Brazil you would essentially need to change that culture. Allowing the excessive levels of crime, corruption, pollution, lack of enforced building codes, lack of adequate transportation all speak of low regard for basic human rights. A communist country can briefly overcome that for the Olympics due to the iron fist they wield. (Do not take this as an endorsement of Communism). China was able to enforce car bans to reduce the pollution leading up to Hong Kong Olympics.
Russia was able to build entire infrastructure for the Olympics but they had trouble pulling it off. If I remember there were issues with highways and hotels not being fully completed on time.
I am settling for seeing the star-studded Masters in LA
I just feel bad for those that worked so hard to get to the Olympics and this may be their only shot…
After all the years of negotiating and golf finally gets to debut - then some of the golfers refuse to go. Same with tennis - some are not going there either. Citing Zika, (or do they mean more lucrative opportunities elsewhere?)
Certainly, I hope anybody who received funding and decides not to go should be called out, and maybe payback the money.
[QUOTE=Thylacine;8769236]
(and fwiw I wouldn’t have allowed a horse of mine to go to hong kong)[/QUOTE]
What happened to the horses in Hong Kong?
