The issue of safety will once again be a major concern ahead of a major international event being held in Brazil, and one of the country's most famous exports has pleaded with fans to stay at home.
The murder of a teenage girl on a Rio de Janeiro main road this past weekend has prompted former Barcelona star and Ballon D'Or winner Rivaldo to issue a warning to those who are going to travel to Brazil for this summer's Olympic games.
Rivaldo took to his Instagram account offer his condolences to Ana Beatriz Pereira Frade, a 17-year-old girl who was shot dead after a botched robbery while she was on her way to welcome her mother home at the airport, according to local reports via the Daily Mail:
Local reports said she was killed during a botched robbery after eight men surrounded the car she was travelling in with her family.
She was heading to the airport with her stepdad and other relatives to surprise her mum who was returning from a trip away. Her stepdad tried to drive through a makeshift blockade the armed bandits set up.
A baby was on the back seat along with tragic Ana when she was hit by a single bullet fired by one of the men.
Rivaldo then posted the girl's image to his Instagram account, along with the accompanying text:
Today in Rio de Janeiro bandits killed this girl just 17 years old. Things are getting worse in Brazil. I advise everyone who intends to visit Brazil or come to the Olympics in Rio, stay where you live. Your life is at risk here. Not to mention the public hospitals that are unable to cope and all this mess in Brazilian politics. Only God can change the situation in Brazil.
A tragic tale that shows just how dangerous the city of Rio is. Rivaldo is not the only person who has spoken out against the decision to host the Olympics in Brazil and the majority of the comments from those living in the country were in agreement with the footballer.
Of course, security will be ramped up as it was for the 2014 World Cup, but the fact that this murder took place on a main road that links the airport to many Olympic venues has caused great concern for many in Brazil ahead of the arrival of so many international tourists in the summer.
