This article discusses the controversy surrounding the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. The author goes into detail about the strengths and shortcomings of 2016’s Olympics and provides arguments for both. The article covers a range of arguments however it begins by stating that there were multiple reasons why these games were successful according to politicians and administrators. Another key point discussed was the economic problems that were apparent during the games. As a government who struggle to pay their doctors and teachers they splurged on the Olympic stadium which is something they clearly could not afford as it resulted in funding cuts elsewhere. There was also inequality within the payments of those working within the Olympics. The article then discusses the political issues which impacted the Games. A named source, Julia Guimaraes (a volunteer) claimed that even though the country is divided by politics during the games they seemed to forget and unite. However, the patriotic front did not stop the underlying problems within the country making an appearance.
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There were many incidents that showed the tear within Brazilian society and their politics. Guimaraes felt that the media was harsh and judged the country on the false stories that are often contrived by other countries. Although there were many fake stories about crime which were circulating there were many cases of actual crime. Rio was equipped with 85,000 police which meant that the wealthier areas were well protected however, the less wealthy communities of Favela were not and were impacted negatively. This ties in to a point Barbara Assis made that the wealthier communities were made a priority.
Prejudices between the rich and the poor may not have been overcome however the text explains that the Games did see the discrimination which is common in Brazil challenged. Rafaela Silva who is very much a minority as a black woman, a lesbian and a local of a poor community was the first Brazilian to win a medal at the 2016 games. Silva’s success seen her being celebrated and praised. As a result, minorities and women athletes have been given more recognition.Another key point that the article chooses to discuss is the role the armed forces played and how for many people this caused conflicting feelings. The text explains that eight out of the country’s nine medals were won by people from the armed forces. Many people were pleased to see their country succeeding however as a country who were previously ruled by the military this caused some conflicting opinions.The second last idea discussed is that the government perhaps promised too much and as a result could not fulfil each promise. The Mayor bragged about the accomplishments even though one of the biggest changes that was promised, the clear up of Guanabara bay, was not completed.
Lastly the text discusses how the organiser feels that once the Games are finished he will no longer have a purpose as for so many years he has been busy. However, with the games coming to an end he is realising that he will not feel solace as they have become a huge part of his life and therefore a part of his life will be missing.
The text is aimed at well-read people who have an interest in sports and the influence they have. The purpose of the article is to inform and start a discussion or debate about the economic and environmental impact that the Games had on society. The article is successful in meeting its purpose. The article was published by The Guardian which adds to the reliability of the piece as it is a broadsheet. The content within the article is relevant as the information has come from people who have been directly affected by the games. The text is relatively long in length which increases the chance of the information being accurate. It provides a balanced argument for both sides of the debate and uses statements from named sources to do so. For example, the Mayor said, “I think we were very successful in these first Olympics in South America.” however on the opposing side of the argument Barbara Assis stated, “Things have become worse because of the Olympics.”
A strength in this text is the layout. The use of subheadings directs the audience’s attention to each section and makes it clearer who is being spoken about in each section. However, a weakness with this method of layout is the article does not flow as well.
The style of the piece is formal and the language within the text is relatively simple and includes little to no jargon, this allows members of the public to be able to comprehend this text. Another strength is the graphics included in the piece as they add to and support the content within the text. The images also show us the two sides to the argument. For example, the first image shows us the joyful residents however the third image is not so light-hearted and shows us a concerned looking Mario Moscatelli.
A final weakness of the piece is the structure. The text lacks a conclusion and leaves the audience to decide their own opinion on the title “Have the Olympics been worth it for Rio?” This may leave many readers unsatisfied with the article as it may feel incomplete due to the lack of a solid conclusion.