The Rio Olympics were one of the most spectacular in the history of the games, but they were not without their consequences. People were moved from their homes, facilities were built at great expense, and the games presented a pretty picture that was smudged by ongoing new reports. Sailors were sickened in the waters of the bay months before the games, and now images have surfaced showing what the city looks like in the aftermath of their triumphant moment.

Where did those venues go?

The story of the Rio Olympics is told by the mass disuse of facilities and athletes who were hoping for a resurgence of Brazilian sports.

Soccer is the most popular sport in the country, but it cannot fill the gap left by the Olympics. The soccer stadium known as the Maracana which hosted many amazing events has been graffitied, and the power was once shut off because of a power bill that you or I could not possibly imagine. The Brazilian government is embroiled in a heap of political scandal, and they simply have not lent any focus to the old Olympic venues.

How bad has it gotten?

The government cannot rightly afford to maintain the Olympic Park, and they cannot convert the handball arena into schools that could have been useful to low-income Brazilians. There was a community pool that could have come out of the canoe course, and there are towers from the Olympic village that are left completely vacant.

The aftermath of the Rio Olympics is more than a loss of venues. This has turned into a loss of hope.

Public scrutiny could not help

There was quite a lot of Public Scrutiny leading up to the Rio Olympics, but the press could not hold the city's feet to the flame after the Olympics were over. There simply was not enough interest for people to ask for changes in the city.

The towers that were once home to the athletes could be turned into housing for those who need it, but nothing has happened. The Brazilian government promised that the poorest neighborhoods in the country could be reached through venues that sat in their midst. These venues have been closely or unused, and these neighborhoods remain as poor as they were before the Olympics started.

The poorest of the poor who were left behind must live in the shadow of something that could have changed their lives.

The Rio Olympics were an opportunity for Brazil to infuse its economy with hope and vigor, but it has become a warning sign to other cities. Many dropped out of the running for the 2024 and 2028 Olympics because of this very thing, and they will avoid the aftermath that we see in Rio today.