Doping may not be the biggest issue athletes need to worry about at the Rio Olympics. Brazil remains in the grip of a political crisis, concerns persist about the mosquito borne Zika Virus, and violent crimes are on the rise.
The latest crime spike is so bad that two members of Australia’s Paralympic sailing delegation were robbed at gunpoint, while biking at a park in the host city.
Following Sunday’s incident involving sailor Liesl Tesch, and physiotherapist Sarah Ross, the leader of the Australian team urged Brazilian officials to implement Olympic level security immediately—before any athletes get hurt.
But local residents are truly bearing the brunt of the crime wave. A 31-year-old woman from a favela near the site of the Opening Ceremony, Maracana Stadium, was killed by a stray bullet as criminals engaged police in a shootout on the same day.
Rio’s mayor says things will soon get better, at least for a while.
