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OLYMPIC RUINS OF ATHENS

Greece
Brecht De Vleeschauwer
2015

This photograph, taken at the Olympic Kanoe and Kayak Complex located on the grounds of the former Hellinikon Airport in Athens, depicts one of the many sites that Greece was unable to maintain from the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Dried out swimming pools, unused venues, and abandoned stadiums are spread across the city. While Olympic investments are often presented as beneficial for all, this photograph suggests otherwise.

The Allard Prize Photography Competition jury selected this photograph as it represents wasteful and unjust spending of public money despite that many basic human rights, such as the right to education, go unaddressed. This summer, the Olympic Games will take place in Rio de Janeiro. Many Brazilians are still living without basic sanitation or education, yet just one year after hosting the World Cup, Brazil is investing another $13 billion in Olympics venues.

Brecht De Vleeschauwer is a freelance reporter and photographer based in Belgium.