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Column: Rio could prove that Olympics are too big to fail

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — On a corner outside the athlete's village, a soldier carrying an automatic weapon tried his best to keep from smiling as he posed for a cameraman trying to put a face on security at the Olympics.

All is not quite fun and games just yet in Rio, though beleaguered organizers are hoping that changes soon. Competition begins for real on Saturday and, barring a potential disaster, the discussion may actually turn from the problems of Rio to sports from badminton to basketball in an extravaganza that only the world's biggest sporting event can bring.