Glenn T. McCarthy
01 Sep 2015
US journalist Glenn T McCarthy has been trying to get the leaders of the sailing world to move the watersports venues for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games away from the faeces-riddled waters of Guanabara Bay…
Dear Country Leaders in Sailing:
You all are responsible for the choice to have the Olympics sail in Rio de Janeiro. Last month you held the Aquece Test Event. How did it turn out?
Last year you had competitors fall ill, and run into trash stopping progress up the race course. Was it any better this year?
Here are the published results:
chicagonow.com/sail-lake-michigan/2015/08/is-rio-ready-for-the-2016-olympic-sailing-games-test-results/
If you are short on time and wish to jump right to the bottom line, here you go (speak up, have your voice heard):
CONCLUSION
No land based sport has such a table with 15 items in it as above. With athletes falling ill, needing surgery from disease, and running into trash stopping their progress up the field of play is identical to what happened in the 2014 Aquece Test Event.
There was no report last year of having a field of play shut down due to an overwhelming amount of trash on the water, but it happened twice in the 2015 Test Event.
Promises of improved water quality were made back then. The jibber jabber over water quality tests is something to take everyone’s eye off the ball.
No one has said there are lines drawn in the sand, “If the parts per million exceed “This Amount” we must move the venue. Without limits defined, this is just a political sideshow.
The 2015 Aquece Test Event has proven again that Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro FAILS at the ability to provide a Fair Contest for all the world’s athletes.
IOC, Rio2016, ISAF; your words of assurances have worn us out. Your continued statement that “The athletes’ safety and health is our utmost concern” is beautiful propaganda and Public Relations to tell the media, but you have shown no ability to assure the safety and health of the competitors.
It is clear that you do not care about the athletes.
Your time has run out, it is time to move the Sailing Games out of Rio, NOW.
Sincerely,
Glenn T. McCarthy
ChicagoNow.com/Sail-Lake-Michigan