Rio 2016 Olympics: Maracana’s little brother can be a beacon of hope, just like London four years ago
We need a glorious Olympics and we need to be thrilled and inspired over the next fortnight in Brazil
IT STANDS five miles west of the Maracana and light years from the legends of Pele, Barnes and Gotze.
The Olympic Stadium, Rio de Janeiro. A bowl built on foundations of concrete, not of myths and miracles.
Give it time, though. Give it time.
Because when that first starter’s pistol cracks, its moment will have come.
A moment in history when new heroes will be created, new records set, new memories indelibly imprinted on the minds of billions.
Of course, you may read these words and sneer. You may see Rio 2016 as just another political and social mess disguised as entertainment, another gigantic vanity project at the expense of people who need transport and housing, not a celebrity sports day. But remember, we said the same about London four years ago.
We predicted a shambles, were only half-joking that come the 100 metres final the outside lane would be conmied off for repairs.
Then 007 and HRH parachuted out of the night sky and into the brilliant light of 80,000 camera flashes. And in an instant, we willingly suspended disbelief and were transfixed.
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Two weeks later, we came away purring with pride at the roaring success of OUR Olympics. Four years on, we see swathes of the capital regenerated both in bricks and mortar and in spirit.
This is what we have to hope for in Rio.
That after all Brazil’s civil unrest and economic strife, after the all-too-predictable delays over getting the venues ready, after all the drugs scandals and despite the ever-looming shadow of terrorism, they flick the switch and something wonderful comes to life.
That in this party city to end them all, they really do throw the best there’s ever been.
Their Games begin and end in the Maracana itself, that arena of arenas where the King scored his 1,000th goal, where an England winger once danced through defenders to take the breath away, where Germany lifted the World Cup.
In between, they’ll take us on a hectic, 16-day tour of the Copacabana, of the carnival parade route at Sambodromo, of Carioca and Fonte Nova, Mineiro and Marina da Gloria, all round Rio and way beyond.
The big stuff, though, the caffeine-fuelled sessions in our wee small hours, will be in that Olympic Stadium.
To many, it is a symbol of all that’s wrong with the host nation and with the event itself — opened in 2007 six times over budget at $192million, only to be shut down in 2013 when the roof started to give way. A few short months back, its water and electricity were cut off over unpaid bills.
Many regret the day its ribbon was cut and would prefer to forget it even exists.
Yet soon, the whole world will be talking about the white elephant in Rio’s room. And if this corner of the city’s Engenhao district can host half as many astonishing moments as the East End of London did four years back, it might just do more for a whole nation’s battered self-esteem than anyone dared imagine.
Again, some might sneer at this as merely papering over yawning cracks.
But that’s what great sport does, it makes us feel better about ourselves and our world when times are tough — and boy, do we need that feelgood factor right now.
We need a glorious Olympics. We need to be thrilled, to be inspired. Let’s be honest, we need a diversion from all the upheaval and the horror piling up on our doorsteps day by day.
So we turn away from the politicians and we look to Usain Bolt, Mo Farah, Jess Ennis-Hill, Sir Bradley Wiggins and more.
We find new, jet-heeled gold-seekers to admire. We tune into sports that normally never blip up on our radars to gawp at fellow humans blessed with super-human strength, stamina and skill. And if they do their jobs right, then with any luck we’ll forget the drug cheats who so dominated the build-up.
If there’s any justice, those dopes will sit in front of their TVs, seeing honest athletes go higher, faster, stronger than ever before and curse the greed and stupidity that stopped them being part of it all.
Because when it all comes down to it, that’s what matters. Being part of it all. Not the constructions snafus or the funding wrangles, not the politics or the illegal stimulants, just the here and now.
It might have been a tough old road and there might still be a few potholes ahead but Rio’s time has come.
So light up the lights, strike up the Samba, enter the gladiators . . . and on with the magic.