Rio 2016: learning from the Salt Lake Olympic winter games.

• Author: Gochnour, Natalie
• Position: Economic Insight - Column

Hosting the Olympic Games is not for the faint of heart. The spotlight is bright, the logistics are complicated and the cost is substantial.

Nobody knows this better than Rio de Janeiro, the host for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. The Rio Olympics have been beset by extraordinary challenges, including the Zika virus, doping scandals, serious crime, environmental problems, political mayhem and the nation's worst recession since the 1930s.

Just as bad, Brazil's troubles are occurring amidst a backdrop of worldwide political upheaval (the Brexit vote and the impact of the controversial U.S. presidential elections) and vicious terrorist attacks and threats from the Islamic State Group.

My feelings mirror those I felt before the Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games. The bid scandal put the Games at risk. Then, 9-11 happened. Everything felt uneasy and frightening. The peace-loving world needed us to be successful. The same can be said about the Rio Games. The world needs something good to happen. While nervous, I'm crossing my fingers and finding reason for hope--partly because of the extraordinary Brazilian people and partly because of the magic that is the Olympics.

Transcending sport

I'm familiar with an experience Olympic gold medalist speed skater Derek Parra had during the Salt Lake Olympics.

He wrote eloquently about it and I'd like to share it with you. It captures the emotional connection I feel for the Olympics and peaceful countries all around the world. It's a sentiment I crave right now. Parra, who claims Utah as his home, reflected on his 2002 Olympic experience:

"You might think my greatest Olympic moment came when I stood on the podium for the first time with a gold medal wrapped around my neck, but you'd be wrong. In fact, my most powerful Olympic memory came before the Olympics even started."

Indeed for Parra, the Olympics are about more than sport. He was one of eight athletes selected to carry the World Trade Center flag into opening ceremonies. When he got the request, he was ecstatic:

"Instantly I knew it was something I had to do, something I wanted to do.

It was an honor beyond anything I could have imagined ... at that time our country was still reeling from the wounds, the trauma and the pain of Sept. 11th."

He then shares the connection he felt with the families of the victims:

"As the opening ceremonies...