Rio Olympics: 5 controversies looming over the Games

As Rio de Janeiro prepares to host the world for the 2016 Olympic Games, the lead-up to the global sporting eventhas already faced its fair share of controversy. The timer now stands at six months for organizers to address the concerns.

Back in 2014, International Olympic Committeevice-president John Coates called the preparations for the Games the"worst"he's ever experienced.

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Much has changed since then, with organizers workingto address concerns that earned that scathing review.But a number of new challenges have emerged in more recent years.

With half-a-year to go to the opening ceremony on Aug. 5,here's a rundown of five controversies surrounding the Rio Olympics:

Zikavirus

The latestcontroversy weighing on theRio Olympics not to mentionthe rest of Brazil is the spread of the Zikavirus, which wasdeclared a public health emergency earlier this week.

An outbreak of the mosquito-borne virus that is sweeping across the Americas has been centred in Brazil.

Zika has also been tentatively linked to a birth defect called microcephaly, characterized by infants born with abnormally small heads.Thiscould affecttravel to the Games, aswomen who are pregnant, or planning to get pregnant,are being advised to stay away from Zika-strickencountries.

In an attemptto the address the alarm raised by the Zika virus, officials are checking Olympicvenuesdaily for mosquito-breedinggrounds. They've also said the virus should be less of a problem come August, as Brazil's dry season should lead tofewermosquitos.

On a national level, the Brazilian government plans to send troops door-to-doorto help combat the mosquitos that carry the Zikavirus.

Troubled waters

Tests conducted by The Associated PresslastJuly showed Rio's Olympicwaterswere heavily polluted with human sewage, and an alarming number ofdisease-causing viruses and bacteria were present.

Some athletes fell ill last year whencompeting in water-based test events.

In its Olympicbid, Rio organizerspledged to clean up the city'swater with improved sewage sanitation.But Brazilian officials have acknowledged the water will not be as clean as originally planned.

Still, Rio hasnot been idle on the issue. A new sewage facility has been built at theMarina da Glria, where Olympic sailing events will be held.

In December, Canada's chief medical officer, Bob McCormack,said the water concerns in Rio were overblownand Canadian athletes were well educated on how to avoid therisk of getting sick while travelling.

"I wouldn't drink the water out of the [lagoon]. No one should," said McCormack. "That's different than the risk of being on top of the water and getting splashed."

Building the Games

In the years leading up to the Games,concerns have been raised about whether Rio'sOlympic infrastructure would be readyon time.

Thosefears were carried over, in part,from when Brazil hosted the 2014FIFA World Cup. Prior to the World Cup, the country fell behind onthe construction of the soccer stadiums, though the venueswere ultimately delivered on time.

Last May, Reuters reported only 10 per cent of56 Olympic construction, overlay and energy projects were finished.

But progress has improvedsince then. Markingthe one-year countdown to the Olympics, Rio Mayor Eduardo Paesannouncedall Olympicvenues wouldbe delivered on time for the Games, a feat he referred to as"a miracle."

Slumpingeconomy

Brazil is alsoin the midst of an economic crisis, facingitsworst recession since the 1930s.

Budgets including that of the Olympics are getting slashed.Olympic organizers are trying to find much-neededsavings, looking to cut about US$530millionfrom the $1.9 billion operating budget, or about 28per cent.

Proposed cuts have included reducing food and travel costs for Olympic officials. At one point, organizerswere considering charging athletes for air conditioning, though that was later reneged.

Brazil's economy was booming when the 2016Summer Olympics were awarded seven years ago.Butthe real has sincelost a third of its value, the country's GDPhas tumbled, inflation has risen above10 per cent, and unemployment sits around 9per cent.

Political scandal

The economic hardship of Brazil has been accompanied by a political scandal that extends all the way to the country's top office.

A congressional committee is considering impeachment of BrazilianPresident Dilma Rousseffforallegedly violating budget laws to increase spending during her 2014 re-election campaign.

Rousseff and the Brazilian government have also struggled with the state-run oil company Petrobras, which has been mired in a massive corruption scandal. Allegations include politicalkickbacks, price-fixing and bribery.

The Rio Games have not escaped the impact of the corruption. Several major Brazilian construction firms responsible for the majorityofOlympic infrastructure projects have also been implicated in the scandal.