The Rio Olympic Games finally concluded two weekends ago closing the books with 16 successful days of competition and a not-so-successful outcome for Rio and Brazil.

When the International Olympic Committee announced the bid for the XXXI Olympiad to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, there was certainly some initial concern and speculation. Could this broken country, broken city pull off such an enormous task? At the time the general belief was “no.”

Yet Rio was determined to pull through. Promises of a cleaner city, stronger economy,  and top end athletic facilities poured through the mouths of the Brazilian government. This was also the first time a South American country could potentially hold the Olympic Games. One thing stood in the way: years of continuous financial downfall, increased poverty and extreme violence.

In the upcoming days to the Games, the doubts began to fade away from Brazil’s ability to hold a high end sporting event. They had already held a very successful World Cup tournament, allowing good vibes to flow in for the build of the 2016 games. Sure the World Cup calls for a much smaller financial hold, but it is also the biggest sporting event watched by the world. The world watched Brazil withstand the pressure.

Two years later, the games were soon to begin. Just a few weeks until the opening ceremonies and the construction was nearly done. Thirty-two athletic venues had been erected as well as an athletes village, media village, and seven soccer stadiums re-fit for the games. The games were set to begin and looked as if though it was going to a hit.

The games started and all eyes were on Rio. The athletes performed, the venues held up. World records were set, and athletes stayed healthy. Medals were given, dreams came true. And the games flourished under the 16-day fiesta in Rio. The competition was a success. The outcome was not.

The Olympic games are known for taxing countries and cities greatly. In most cases, the country is strong enough to withhold the massive costs. The Games can also transform a slum of a city into a beautiful, thriving metropolis. Brazil, on the other hand, will not have the ability to follow through.

The organizers of the Games made a risky decision: to make most of the venues permanent. This will cause further financial instability as the cost to uphold the top-end facilities with outweigh the income. The general belief is that Brazil can use the venues to train for high end competition. But for a country that holds little athletic talent outside of Soccer and Capoeira, there is a small amount of money to be brought in. This would render the Olympic village useless and left to decay.

Prior to the games, Rio was a crime-worn city. Gangs and small terror seeking groups littered the town. They still do. But the increased police and military support kept the crimes at bay. Once the excitement is entirely over, from both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the police forces will back down. No changes to the crime of the City will have taken place. And with a whole new park and transportation system to tinker with in their own personal ways, those who enjoy wreaking havoc could have an entirely new playground.

Finally, once the games are over, Rio and Brazil will be left in the dust. All of the excitement will be over. All of the attention, gone. A country that has experienced excitement from 2007 (Pan American Games) will finally be left to itself. Left to handle its own issues. As the crime returns and the total costs roll through, Brazil can’t ask for help from the entire world like it once could. All eyes will leave the country and head towards the next biggest world event; the U.S. Presidential election. Maybe then could Brazil hope for the Americans to help shine a little light.

Only time will tell if Rio and Brazil can hold up after such an expensive fiesta. Yet most of us will soon forget about the host of the XXXI Olympiad. The world political fanboys will look for something else to speculate about. And us sports fans will look to the next World Cup, the Winter Olympic in Seoul, South Korea, and four years from now for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.