IOC leaders are set to review the final stages of preparations for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics amid concerns over the Zika outbreak, delays in completing a key sports venue and challenges posed by Brazil’s political and economic crisis.
With less than two months before the Aug. 5 opening ceremony in Rio, Brazilian organizers were scheduled to deliver a report Wednesday to the International Olympic Committee executive board.
Organizing committee head Carlos Nuzman will present the report to the board in Lausanne, with Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes speaking by video conference from Brazil.
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The IOC will also hear progress reports from organizers of the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
IOC President Thomas Bach plans to visit Brazil from June 14-16 to check on Rio’s preparations for himself.
He will also meet in Brasilia with acting President Michel Temer, who took over last month after Dilma Rousseff was suspended pending a Senate impeachment trial.
The IOC has already sent experts to Brazil to work with the organizers. Christophe Dubi, the IOC’s executive director of the Olympic Games, is currently in Rio.
His predecessor, Gilbert Felli, has been the IOC’s point man in Rio for the past two years.
Last week, a group of 150 scientists suggested the Olympics should be postponed or moved because of the outbreak of Zika, which has been linked to severe birth defects. But the World Health Organization said there was “no public health justification” to call off the Olympics, and the IOC has repeatedly said the games will go ahead.
Brazil is also dealing with its worst economic recession since the 1930s, leading to the slashing of Olympic budgets.
While most venues are ready, the $43 million velodrome has faced serious construction delays.
UCI President Brian Cookson said last week he remains “very, very concerned” about the venue, and the city announced Monday it is changing contractors to take over the project.
Rio organizers have said there will be no time for a test event at the velodrome, but they are still planning a “training session” June 25-27 _ six weeks before the games.
Water pollution remains a concern for Olympic sailing, rowing and open water swimming events.
Tokyo organizers, meanwhile, have been caught up in a corruption probe centered on the city’s winning bid for the 2020 Games.
Bid leaders have acknowledged making payments, before and after the IOC vote in 2013, totaling about $2 million to a Singapore company linked to Papa Massata Diack, son of former IAAF President Lamine Diack.
The younger Diack is the subject of an Interpol wanted notice. Lamine Diack, a former IOC member, has been accused by French prosecutors of taking more than $1 million in bribes to cover up Russian doping cases.
Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda, who headed Tokyo’s bid, said the payments were for legitimate consultancy work.
The Japanese committee has opened an investigation, while the IOC is a civil party to the French probe.
The new head of Pyeongchang’s organizing committee was set to make his first appearance before the IOC to give an update on preparations for the 2108 Games.
Lee Hee-beom, a 67-year-old former government minister, took over last month after the sudden resignation of Cho Yang-ho, who stepped down to deal with financial troubles at the shipping company his family controls.
The South Koreans have said they are back on track despite lingering concerns over some venue construction projects and slow pace of domestic sponsorships. Whether NHL players will take part in the games also remains uncertain amid disputes over travel costs, accommodations and insurance.
IOC reviewing final preparations for Rio 2016 Olympics | The Indian Express
With less than two months before the Aug. 5 opening ceremony in Rio, Brazilian organizers were scheduled to deliver a report Wednesday to the International Olympic Committee executive board.
Organizing committee head Carlos Nuzman will present the report to the board in Lausanne, with Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes speaking by video conference from Brazil.
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The IOC will also hear progress reports from organizers of the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
IOC President Thomas Bach plans to visit Brazil from June 14-16 to check on Rio’s preparations for himself.
He will also meet in Brasilia with acting President Michel Temer, who took over last month after Dilma Rousseff was suspended pending a Senate impeachment trial.
The IOC has already sent experts to Brazil to work with the organizers. Christophe Dubi, the IOC’s executive director of the Olympic Games, is currently in Rio.
His predecessor, Gilbert Felli, has been the IOC’s point man in Rio for the past two years.
Last week, a group of 150 scientists suggested the Olympics should be postponed or moved because of the outbreak of Zika, which has been linked to severe birth defects. But the World Health Organization said there was “no public health justification” to call off the Olympics, and the IOC has repeatedly said the games will go ahead.
Brazil is also dealing with its worst economic recession since the 1930s, leading to the slashing of Olympic budgets.
While most venues are ready, the $43 million velodrome has faced serious construction delays.
UCI President Brian Cookson said last week he remains “very, very concerned” about the venue, and the city announced Monday it is changing contractors to take over the project.
Rio organizers have said there will be no time for a test event at the velodrome, but they are still planning a “training session” June 25-27 _ six weeks before the games.
Water pollution remains a concern for Olympic sailing, rowing and open water swimming events.
Tokyo organizers, meanwhile, have been caught up in a corruption probe centered on the city’s winning bid for the 2020 Games.
Bid leaders have acknowledged making payments, before and after the IOC vote in 2013, totaling about $2 million to a Singapore company linked to Papa Massata Diack, son of former IAAF President Lamine Diack.
The younger Diack is the subject of an Interpol wanted notice. Lamine Diack, a former IOC member, has been accused by French prosecutors of taking more than $1 million in bribes to cover up Russian doping cases.
Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda, who headed Tokyo’s bid, said the payments were for legitimate consultancy work.
The Japanese committee has opened an investigation, while the IOC is a civil party to the French probe.
The new head of Pyeongchang’s organizing committee was set to make his first appearance before the IOC to give an update on preparations for the 2108 Games.
Lee Hee-beom, a 67-year-old former government minister, took over last month after the sudden resignation of Cho Yang-ho, who stepped down to deal with financial troubles at the shipping company his family controls.
The South Koreans have said they are back on track despite lingering concerns over some venue construction projects and slow pace of domestic sponsorships. Whether NHL players will take part in the games also remains uncertain amid disputes over travel costs, accommodations and insurance.
IOC reviewing final preparations for Rio 2016 Olympics | The Indian Express
