ABSTRACT
With barely two years to go before the 2016 Olympics, unsubstantiated rumours were circulating the international media claiming that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was perturbed by the ‘state of unreadiness’ in Rio de Janeiro. With only 10 per cent of the infrastructure completed, the IOC was apparently making ‘informal, secretive enquiries’ with a view to London taking on the Games if the Brazilians were unable to deliver (Independent 2014). While the rumours provoked strong denials and even stronger reassurances from the IOC, there may have been more than a few Mexicans who could be forgiven for oering a wry smile: they had heard it all before.
