Without reform of the Olympics, L.A. should withdraw its 2024 bid

To the editor: Thanks to Dave Zirin for helping to put the proposed 2024 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in perspective. (“There’s still time L.A. — Just say no to the Olympics,” Opinion, July 19)

The “rah-rah” guys such as Casey Wasserman, chairman of Los Angeles’ Olympic committee, and Mayor Eric Garcetti apparently don’t care much whether L.A. residents get stuck holding the bag, as we surely will. Until the business model for the Olympics is changed, I don’t think the city should want to have anything to do with the Games.

The people need to say no, and they need to say it loudly until we are heard.

Roger Walton, North Hills

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To the editor: Zirin just doesn’t understand.

The process of selected a host city for the Olympics has never been seen as an attempt to “fix” a country. The purpose of the Olympics is to honor the world’s best athletes and celebrate their glory, agony and record-setting accomplishments.

When Rio de Janeiro was named in 2009 as the host of 2016 Games, it was a city perfectly suited for the Olympics. It’s not the International Olympic Committee’s fault that Brazil later went into a tailspin.

Patrick D. Mulcahy, Costa Mesa

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To the editor: Even if I were given free airfare along with tickets to the Olympics, I would still not attend. Maybe I have bought into the negative hype of Rio de Janeiro’s rampant crime, pollution and the Zika virus in Brazil.

However, a more compelling reason for a boycott, as noted by Zirin, is the lack of reform addressing the corruption and human rights abuses taking place seemingly each time the Games are held.

Wayne Muramatsu, Cerritos

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