63% of Brazilians Think Rio's Hosting Olympic Games Will Bring More Problems Than Benefits
With the Olympics about to start on August 5, statistics collected by Datafolha reveal that 50% of Brazilians are unhappy with the Olympic Games taking place in Rio.
According to a survey undertaken between July 14 and 15, dissatisfaction surrounding the sporting event had increased considerably. A previous survey, carried out in June 2013, showed that 25% of Brazilians did not want the Games to be held in Rio. Now, the figure is twice that.
Three years ago, 64% of those asked felt positively about the Olympics. Now, however, that number has dropped to 40%. 9% said that they were not bothered either way, and 2% refused to answer.
Datafolha highlighted that 63% of Brazilians feel the sporting event will cause more problems than benefits for the citizens in general. The last survey revealed that only 38% held this negative view.
Overall, citizens of Rio are less pessimistic about the Games compared with other Brazilians, although the majority is still not convinced. 45% of Rio's citizens believe the Olympics will have a positive impact on the nation. 47% disagree.
According to official data, the total cost of the event is already over R$ 39 billion (US$ 11.9 billion), made up of both public and private investments.
Datafolha's survey of 2013 revealed that 35% of those asked were very interested in the event. Now, this has fallen to just 16%.
By contrast, the percentage of people who say they are not interested in the Games has jumped from 28% to 51%. The percentage of those who consider themselves somewhat interested has fallen from 37% to 33%.
Translated by GILLIAN SOPHIE HARRIS