CRS report via FAS – The 2016 Olympic Games: Health, Security, Environmental, and Doping Issues – L. Elaine Halchin, Coordinator, Specialist in American National Government; John W. Rollins, Coordinator, Specialist in Terrorism and National Security. July 28, 2016.

“The 2016 Olympic Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 5-21, 2016, and will be followed by the Paralympic Games, September 7-18, 2016. Notably, these are the first games tobe hosted by a South American city. Reportedly, 10,500 athletes from 206 countries will participate in the Olympics, including 555 athletes from the United States. Most Olympic events will take place in and around Rio de Janeiro. In addition to Rio de Janeiro, soccer matches will be held in the cities of Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Manaus, São Paulo, and Salvador. Host countries and cities often have to deal with a variety of questions or issues, which is also true for Brazil and Rio de Janeiro. The list of issues or potential problems that might have implications for athletes, team personnel, and spectators participating in or attending the 2016 Rio Games includes the Zika virus, public safety threats, security concerns, and environmental conditions. It also bears noting that the act of hostingthe Olympics may have implications for Brazil. Finally, doping is of particular concern this year because of revelations regarding a state- orchestrated doping scheme perpetrated by Russian authorities and sports organizations…”