CBC P.E.I.'s Bruce Rainnie left Olympic venue early, was not on bus shot at

A decision to leave the basketball venue early on Tuesday meant CBC News: Compass host Bruce Rainnie was not on the media bus that was shot at Tuesday at the Rio Olympics.

"That's the bus I normally take, that's the one," Rainnie told Island Morning host Matt Rainnie in an interview from Rio on Thursday.

"This is a bus that normally my partner, Chantal, and I are on. We decided that day to come back a wee bit earlier so we weren't on, but I can tell you a couple of shots blew out a couple of windows."

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Rainnie said there were six to eight journalists returning from the basketball venue in Deodoro, a military town about 30 kilometres from Rio. Many were cut by flying glass.

"I took that same very bus last night and for the first time in these games we had an armed escort all the way from the venue back into Rio central. There was an army truck in front of us and one behind us so they're taking it as seriously as they can. But yeah, that was a scary situation," he said.

"These are interesting games ... I hope when they are all said and done that somebody holds the IOC's feet to the fire in a post mortem and asks, 'Was this really the best move to have these games in this country at this time?'"

Glad no one hurt

Rainnie said he still has to travel to the area for another three or four days until the basketball venue changes for the medal round.

I think the stories have become what the athletes are doing on their various fields of play but there is this underlying notion that, you know, things could happen.- Bruce Rainnie

"The unrest here is palpable. You can't walk four or five feet without seeing somebody heavily, heavily armed in army fatigues," he said.

"I'm just really glad that nobody was hurt and I think now they'll be extra vigilant."

Not Canada's best game

Rainnie called the women's basketball game between Canada and Senegal on Wednesday, which Team Canada won by 10 points.

"Senegal is without doubt the weakest team here," he said. "I would say what you watched yesterday wasn't Canada's best game but it was one they were able to fight through."

But Rainnie said the highlight of the week for him was the come-from-behind win against Serbia, with a final score of 71-67.

He said the fans are engaged and excited.

"When either Brazil or Senegal play, they seem to have the majority of the fans. When the U.S. plays, it's a big anti-U.S. sentiment there which is kind of fun, the U.S. team thrives off of that."

Catching up online

He told Matt Rainnie he was probably seeing more coverage of the Olympics in P.E.I. than he was in Rio.

There is traffic here that would make any rush hour on the 401 in Toronto look like a breeze.- Bruce Rainnie

"I'm not kidding there because basically our day is whatever sport we're doing," he said.

"When it's basketball it's just a day where you get up, get on a bus for an unusually long amount of time, you get to a venue, you watch the game, you get back on the bus and then you head back to your hotels."

Rainnie said he catches up with Canada's great performances online hours or a day later.

'Things could happen'

"I think the games are going OK, I think the stories have become what the athletes are doing on their various fields of play but there is this underlying notion that, you know, things could happen," said Rainnie.

He said the one thing he'll remember about the Rio Olympic Games is the traffic.

"There is traffic here that would make any rush hour on the 401 in Toronto look like a breeze."

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