The Olympic Legacy of Rio 2016: A City for Whom?

This investigation analysed the urban and social legacy of the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. The objective is to provide a critical analysis through the narratives of residents and stakeholders about the way the removals were happening in the city together with the urban planning strategies, and whether those actions benefitted the population across social classes. This study discusses the concepts of mega-event, gentrification, and housing rights. Qualitative methods were applied to analyse the perception of residents regarding the improvements that the Olympics brought to the quality of life introduced into their neighbourhoods. Technical visits, behavioural observations and face-to-face interviews with the people who live in areas of intervention and gentrification and with the stakeholders involved in the urban projects were conducted. The results found indicate a questionable scenario of what Rio's sustainable candidature for the Olympic Games should be; also, they demonstrate a lack of commitment of stakeholders towards the social inclusion of local residents in the intervention areas. It is hoped that this work will yield new approaches and debates about what happened in the city's urban fabric due to the 2016 Olympics, in order to learn lessons for future host cities for mega-sport events.