Fright nights in Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO – For making it to this Rio Olympics, each of the close to 11,000 qualified athletes will receive a very special gift from Samsung – an Olympic Games limited edition Galaxy S7 Edge.

The handsome mobile phone carries the Olympic logo.

“After this Games, these phones will be very hard to find,” athletes who line up at the claiming are told by Samsung staffers.

There are close to 11,000 athletes vying for the 306 gold medals at stake in 28 sports and 41 disciplines among 206 countries. They are all going home with one.

Samsung staffers said there are 2,000 extra units to be sold but on a first-come, first-served basis. It is said to carry a tag price of $1,300 (US).

Filipino athletes, who arrived here way ahead of the others, can’t be beaten to the draw. As early as Monday, they’ve secured their units.

“Pinoy pa!” said one.

An official of the Philippine Olympic Committee wants one but doesn’t seem ready to cough up $1,300 for the precious cellphone.

He’s now on the lookout for anyone trying to sell his or her phone.

“I’m willing to pay as much as $400 for the phone. Okay, make it $500,” said the official, who has a penchant for expensive watches.

No one is budging.

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When mediamen from more than 200 countries begin covering the Games from Aug. 5 to 21, they will have to deal with the fact that the Media Village was built on a mass grave for African slaves.

Just the thought of it is quite hair-raising.

Reports said members of the Camorim Quilombo, made up of descendants of the old African slaves, had gone up in arms over the construction – to no avail.

They even wrote the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, saying the area, now known as the Barra Media Village 3, was “sacred” to them.

“One Sunday morning a chainsaw came and devastated everything including century-old trees. I regard the ground as sacred because it is where my ancestors were buried,” said a Quiombo leader.

Brazil used to be the biggest importer of slaves until 1888.

It’s not certain yet if any member of the Philippine broadcast or print media will be staying in the said Media Village.

Or they’ll be in for some fright nights.