Behind the Scenes at the Olympic Games
Toru Tsubosaki
Panasonic
Panasonic Latin America
Tutomu Utumi
Panasonic
Panasonic Brazil
Olympic Games Rio 2016 closed 17 days of thrilling competition with a magnificent closing ceremony. There were many uncertainties to Olympic Games Rio 2016, from a lack of preparation due to construction delays, domestic political turmoil, and economic stagnation in Brazil. In particular, there were large safety concerns due to the deteriorating public order, and there were even athletes who skipped the pre-Olympic training camp. However, in the end there was no large unrest. The "festival of peace" once again left numerous records and memories, and gave inspiration to many. The AV security equipment that Panasonic supplied helped to play a part in this. The equipment was installed not only in the venues and surrounding facilities but in a wide range of areas such as in the city and airports, to support the safe operation of the first Olympic Games hosted in South America.
Impacts from Brazil’s Economic Stagnation
This is not the first time Panasonic has made a large-scale delivery of AV security equipment in Brazil. An achievement fresh in people's memory is the international soccer games held in 2014. Panasonic had used the IP Matrix system at Arena Pantanal, one of the event’s main venues, and provided approximately 350 IP cameras and 6 recorders in a turnkey solution. The Olympic Games presented a great opportunity to take advantage of this know-how.
However, roadblocks appeared unexpectedly. Panasonic's Tsutomu Utsumi, who managed the installation of the AV security equipment, explains, "The recent Brazilian economic recession has been dire, and its effects have rippled through to the Olympic Games. As a result of the deteriorating economy, the City of Rio de Janeiro was forced to cut the Olympic Games budget, dramatically reducing the number of AV security equipment for installation from 3,500 to 1,320 units.
Efficient Performance with Limited Equipment
We couldn't neglect safety measures merely because of a reduction in the number of AV security equipment for installation. Rather, we had to focus on operational efficiency using only a small number of units. Utsumi states, "We supported the newly-established venue from the design phase, in order to ensure a high level of security while maintaining the same number of cameras. There were numerous policy changes and design modifications, but in the end we were able to accomplish a successful delivery.” During the event, there were zero inquiries regarding the installed equipment, signifying the problem-free operation of the delivered products. Utsumi further recounted the outcome, "This project allowed us to accumulate even more know-how. The trend for the high-end market is that of contraction, but utilizing this experience we would like to enlarge demand going forward."
