PD Editorial: Are the Rio Olympics becoming a five-ring circus?

Every host city of every Olympics wants its games to be remembered as historic. This year, it’s already assured - for all the wrong reasons.

The summer Olympics, which are set to begin in about six weeks in Rio de Janeiro, appear on the brink of collapse with Brazil mired in economic problems, security issues and health and safety concerns.

Among Rio’s challenges:

The state government of Rio de Janeiro last week declared a “state of public calamity in financial administration.” The government warned that extreme economic measures would be necessary to meet its obligation to host the Olympic Games from Aug. 5-21. According to a statement on state government’s website, the emergency actions are necessary to avoid a “total collapse in public safety, health, education, transport and environmental management.”

Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, has been suspended and faces impeachment. Just two months ago, the lower house of Brazil’s National Congress voted to launch impeachment proceedings over charges of manipulating government accounts. Vice President Michel Temer is now acting president of a nation in political disarray.

Public health concerns over the Zika virus continues to cause global distress. The Brazilian government has been working hard to calm fears, including posting on 20-page online presentation that concludes the risk of Zika to tourists during the games is minimal.

For the past two years, the country has been locked in its worst recession in decades, which has required deep spending cuts and delays in paying government employees.

Concerns about crime are rising. On Monday, Australian Paralympian Liesl Tesch, who is competing in her seventh Paralympics, was robbed of her bicycle at gunpoint on the streets of Rio. Despite the assurances of the mayor to the contrary, she told the media that Rio de Janeiro is a “dangerous place.”

Of course, what also can’t be forgotten are the problems beyond Brazil’s control, including a scandal that led the International Association of Athletics Federations to take the rare step of banning Russia’s entire track team for systematic doping. But even that is steeped in confusion. Olympic leaders say they may allow some athletes to compete under a neutral flag if they can prove they haven’t used performance-enhancing drugs. How that will work is anybody’s guess.

The next effect is concern that the city won’t see anywhere near the 350,000 to 500,000 additional tourists in town for August and September. Ticket sales are lagging with little more than half of Olympic tickets already sold. Many hotel rooms are still available.

The perfect storm of problems has led to an increase in calls to cancel the games. But such action at this point would be catastrophic for the community as well as to those athletes who are well aware of the risks that Rio presents and have opted, trained and committed to compete at these games.

For the rest of the world, this would be a good year to stay home and enjoy the games from the security of your living room.

For those who make the trip caveat spectator - let the fan beware.