# Will The Virus "Kinzi" Bring An End to the Rio 2016 Olymics? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 21, 2016, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778 "2016-01-21T14:12:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![botsgotme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/1 "2016-01-21T14:12:51Z")
I ask because the situation in Rio seems serious-the city health dept. has asked the Federal Government for help-they have mobilized the army to help check on stagnant/standing water situations (where the Aedes mosquitos breed). Plus, the Brazil News reports that over 4500 infants have been born with microcephaly syndrome, caused by the disease. We have relatives in Rio , and my wife regularly calls them-they say that none of the hotels are booking for the summer-normally, rooms ought to be almost impossible to find. Clearly, Rio has an image problem (along with contaminated bay water); is this enough to end the Olympics for Rio? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/2 "2016-01-21T14:16:13Z")
No Olympics in Rio means no Olympics - there’s no way another city could get ready in time. And with so many billions of dollars tied up in the Games, the powers that be won’t let them get cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/3 "2016-01-21T14:18:47Z")
And it’s the [Zika virus](http://www.bbc.com/news/health-35370848), not Kinzi. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/4 "2016-01-21T18:15:04Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > No Olympics in Rio means no Olympics - there’s no way another city could get ready in time. And with so many billions of dollars tied up in the Games, the powers that be won’t let them get cancelled. London could, but I highly doubt the populace want to host again. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/5 "2016-01-21T18:29:06Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > No Olympics in Rio means no Olympics - there’s no way another city could get ready in time. And with so many billions of dollars tied up in the Games, the powers that be won’t let them get cancelled. Probably not but this could be serious. Having a massive international event there could greatly accelerate this pandemic. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/6 "2016-01-21T19:53:14Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > No Olympics in Rio means no Olympics - there’s no way another city could get ready in time. And with so many billions of dollars tied up in the Games, the powers that be won’t let them get cancelled. Well, you could still have an Olympics, if you moved different sports to different cities worldwide. There is precedent for this; in 1956, Australia’s quarantine laws prevented equestrian competitors from bringing their horses into the country, so the equestrian events were held in Stockholm. (The equestrian segment of the Modern Pentathlon was not affected as the horses are drawn randomly, so they used Australian horses.) Of course, the opening ceremony would not be as impressive, as you don’t have all of the athletes present at the same time, but (a) a number of athletes already skip the ceremony if they have an event in the first few days, and (b) if it’s a choice between “no massed entry into the stadium” and “no Olympics at all,” they’ll choose the first one. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/7 "2016-01-21T20:03:40Z")
If the monkey infestations didn’t stop them this won’t either. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/8 "2016-01-21T20:11:42Z")
The IOC would cheerily start the Spanish Flu again as long as they get their bribe money, and they can’t get top bribe dollars if they start cancelling events they took bribes for. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/9 "2016-01-21T20:45:30Z")
I just feel sorry for the athletes who will have to deal with sewage contaminated water. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/10 "2016-01-21T20:48:34Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The IOC would cheerily start the Spanish Flu again as long as they get their bribe money, and they can’t get top bribe dollars if they start cancelling events they took bribes for. Not sure producing a generation of microcephalic babies is going to help future bribe prospects. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/11 "2016-01-26T03:31:07Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Not sure producing a generation of microcephalic babies is going to help future bribe prospects. As long as none of the microcephalic babies belong to the IOC officials, they won’t care a bit. Those guys would make athletes drink lead-contaminated water from Flint, Michigan if someone had the chutzpah to bottle it & ship it down there. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/12 "2016-01-26T21:30:20Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Not sure producing a generation of microcephalic babies is going to help future bribe prospects. Why would the IOC officials care? They’ll be drinking bottled water in their five-star hotel rooms enjoying booze and whores paid for by the Brazilian taxpayer. If the whores happen to be kidnapped sex slaves, well, that just means they can afford more of them. Half the IOC are the former bobos of Juan Antonio Samaranch, a devoted Fascist and Franco supporter who never met a bribe he didn’t like. His disciples would kill your entire family to sell the organs if the profit was high enough. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/13 "2016-01-26T21:54:18Z")
Well a) the microcephalic babies could indeed be born to IOC officials as I assume one or two might be there and b) there would be no stopping the idea that the Olympics was the prime vector for a worldwide pandemic. Hey maybe they got their head too far up their ass to see that far ahead, just saying this could have far reaching consequences that could affect the Olympics going forward. Btw, it’s transmitted by mosquitoes. Bottled water won’t save you. ---
**Author:** ![T.M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@T.M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.M)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/14 "2016-01-27T21:54:42Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > No Olympics in Rio means no Olympics - there’s no way another city could get ready in time. And with so many billions of dollars tied up in the Games, the powers that be won’t let them get cancelled. If Rio has to cancel she should do it now. the U.K is a possibility we did not build for the London games to be a white elephant, It would mean spreading the joy Scotland has held the Commonwealth games so there is capacity there, Cardiff rugby stadium has mobile roof and the expertise of handling large rugby matches when England visits to teach them how to play the game, yachting and rowing facilities are still available. Yes I think the U.K. could step in ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/15 "2016-01-27T23:40:01Z")
Looks to me like Rio wasn’t going to be ready for the Olympics regardless. This might offer a good diplomatic exit from an impossible situation. Better a debacle than a catastrophe coupled with a disease vector. With all due sympathy for those athletes who’ll have their dreams dashed, we may have to git while the gittin’s good. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/16 "2016-01-28T00:30:11Z")
At this late date, there is no way the Olympics will be cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/17 "2016-01-28T00:43:22Z")
Other than the athletes, who would really notice if the games were cancelled or postponed a few years? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/18 "2016-01-28T00:56:03Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Other than the athletes, who would really notice if the games were cancelled or postponed a few years? Beside the massive Olympics organization itself? Television networks. And the national organizations that fund national teams. And plenty of sports enthusiasts in many countries. That’s a pretty lame thing to ask. You don’t like sports? Just say that. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/19 "2016-01-28T00:58:06Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Other than the athletes, who would really notice if the games were cancelled or postponed a few years? A few third-world dictators who think they’re still fighting the Cold War and that winning a medal in the 200 meter reverse binge & purge somehow advances their cause on the world stage. And maybe not even them. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778/20 "2016-01-28T01:03:26Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > A few third-world dictators who think they’re still fighting the Cold War and that winning a medal in the 200 meter reverse binge & purge somehow advances their cause on the world stage. And maybe not even them. Yes, you are so smart to realize sports don’t matter to anyone, anywhere. Congratulations. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-virus-kinzi-bring-an-end-to-the-rio-2016-olymics/743778.md?page=2)