Superstar sprinter Usain Bolt turns ticket salesman in a bid to boost crowds at Rio Olympics
RIO is playing host to some of the world’s greatest athletes, yet some stands at the venues are virtually empty. Usain Bolt as posted a plea to help change that.
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FASTEST man on earth, six-time Olympic champion, history maker and ... ticket salesman.
Usain Bolt is trying to help red-faced Rio organisers and the IOC, by extending a video plea to Brazilians to attend the Games as a worrying 1.2 million tickets remained unsold to events this week.
On sport’s greatest stage, the world’s best athletes have been forced to compete in half or near empty stadiums spread across Rio and the Olympic precinct of Barra.
With the local economy in tatters, the price of tickets is believed to be a major contributor to the stark absence of spectators.
The threat of the Zika virus and security fears were also raised as reasons for the poor turnout by local volunteers, who spoke about the issue off the record, to News Corp on Wednesday.
Images of empty seats are being beamed across the world, with typically popular Olympic sports included the gymnastics, diving, beach volleyball and basketball struggling to sellout.
Even Australia’s successful women’s Rugby 7’s team played to empty seats prior to their final with New Zealand.
The US men’s basketball Dream Team are the gold medal favourites, but in surely the smallest crowd megastars Carmelo Anthony, Kyrie Irving, Paul George and Kevin Durant have ever played in front of, only a few thousand fans attended their match against China at the Carioca Arena.
The dearth of spectators led Bolt to post a plea to his four million followers on Twitter.
“Hey this is Usain Bolt. I’m here in Rio to make history,’’ he said in the 11-second clip.
“So make sure you buy your tickets and come out and watch, it’s going to be great ... number one.’’
Five days until the start of T&F - get your tickets Rio2016_es @Rio2016_en @Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/xON6sdGuOF
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) August 7, 2016
As of Wednesday, the post had received 1,237 re-tweets and 3,056 likes.
Rio 2016’s chief spokesman Mario Andrada told reporters and several international media outlets that the poor crowds were a “problem and something we have to fix.’’
He added that TV pictures of barely half-full venues were a “problem” and the organising committee was trying to fix it.
“Some of the events have massive crowds and massive atmosphere but we have to fix other problems and we’re not happy until we have,’’ Andrada said.
“We don’t think it’s a growing trend (but) it’s a problem and we have to fix it.”
The lack of appeal is disappointing in the fact that while much of the focus in the lead-up to the Games has been about what has happened outside of the field of play in Rio, the action on it, has provided incredible stories of skill, sacrifice and desire.
Andrada also said Rio 2016 organisers were encouraging sponsors and VIPs to hand over unused tickets so local children from disadvantaged areas could get to see the action.
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