A is for Anti-terrorism laws [1] that were implemented prior to the Games. This means that political protest against the Olympics (and protest more generally) can be classified as an act of terrorism.

B is for Barra da Tijuca [2], which has been developed into a city of the noble elite with no space for the poor by real estate tycoon Carlos Carvalho.

C is for Corruption [3], with an inquiry in Rio investigating construction contracts for the Games, particularly the metro line extension.

D is for the Drugged-up athletes [4] who will be competing in the Games, particularly from Russia, where allegations of state-sponsored doping nearly led to the country being banned from the Games.

E is for Education cuts [5], which have massively affected students in Rio with around 75 schools occupied in protest at underfunding, while Olympic budgets balloon.

F is for the Fiscal emergency [6] that the State of Rio triggered in order to ensure the Olympics would be delivered — while healthcare, education and other public services are eroded.

G is for Guanabara Bay [7], which will host sailing events, despite being full of crap. Literally.

H is for Health cuts [8], which mean that Rio will be officially in a healthcare emergency during the Games. In December 2015 hospitals were forced to close their doors due to insufficient funds.

I is for the Impeachment [9] proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff, as a result of which the Olympics will be opened by a man who is seen by many in Brazil as poorly disguised coup leader.

J is for the Jacarepaguá lagoon [10]. Since the city won the right to host the Games, some 2,500 people have been killed by police violence — accounting for around 16% of all homicides in the city, including children as young as ten.

L is for Line 4 of the metro [11], which has had its opening date repeatedly delayed, and now faces a race against the clock to be operational in time to carry spectators to events.

M is for Morar Cariocan  [12], the city’s program to upgrade favelas, which hasn’t been implemented — it has been promised to residents around election time as a means of gaining support, but has since been withdrawn.

N is for a Nature reserve [13] that has been utterly destroyed in order to build a new golf course for the Games, despite Rio already having golf courses.

O is for Operation Lava Jato  [14], the nationwide corruption probe, which continues to tear through Brazil’s elite causing political and economic instability.

P is for Pacification of Rio’s favelas [15], which, while successful in some places, has been disastrous in others. Some favelas are likely to be occupied by the army during the Games.

Q is for Quilombos [16] (communities started by escaped slaves), which have lost their legal rights. The Olympic journalists’ village has been built on a slave burial site in one Quilombo.

R is for the Removals [17] that have blighted preparations, with over 22,000 families evicted since Rio won the right to host the Games, 4,000 of which were directly caused by the Games.

S is for the Stigma [18] with which people view favela communities, which continues to inform policymaking, leading to issues such as gentrification and police violence not being addressed.

T is for Tokyo [19], host of the next summer Olympics, which is already experiencing its share of these issues — this isn’t just a problem with Rio and its not going away.

U is for Urban mobility [20], which has been eroded for the majority of Rio’s population despite investment in transport infrastructure.

V is for Vila Autódromo [21], a favela next to the Olympic park which has suffered from intense evictions and a climate of “psychological warfare” by the City.

W is for the Wasteland [22] where Favela do Metro stood before it was cleared for the World Cup — still nothing has been done with the land.

X is for X-rated tourism [23], with spectators coming to Rio to have sex, which may involve child prostitutes as it did during Brazil’s World Cup in 2014.

Y is for Young people [24] who live on the streets who are being bussed out of the city for the Olympics, despite the IOC’s insistence that it values youth.

Z is for Zika [25], which may spread with the travelers who come for the Games, leading to a global healthcare catastrophe.

Adam Talbot