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BBC, The Source

Preparations for Rio Olympics Are the ‘Worst Ever,’ Says Senior IOC Official

Jul 29, 2016  •  Post A Comment

With the Rio Olympics now one week away, issues about security, safety and health continue to haunt organizers. The BBC reports that John Coates, vice president of the International Olympic Committee, called preparations for the 2016 Games the “worst ever.”

“He said the IOC has had to place special experts in Rio’s organising team to make sure the Games go ahead — something that’s never happened before,” the story reports.

The BBC quotes Coates saying: “The situation is critical on the ground.”

Coates is quoted by The Source saying: “We have become very concerned. They are not ready in many, many ways. We have to make it happen and that is the IOC’s approach. You can’t walk away from this.”

The Source adds: “The Games were fought for by the Brazilians in an effort to showcase the country’s fast-growing infrastructure and quickly building world economics, despite negative headlines like last month’s arrest of 10 terrorists linked to an Islamic military group. Although Brazil’s Justice Minister Jose Eduardo Cardozo called the group ‘an amateur cell without any preparation,’ leaders particularly in France have questioned the security and safety of the Games.”

Organizers of the Rio 2016 Games released a statement saying: “The time has now passed when general discussions about the progress of preparations contribute to the journey towards the Games. It is time for us to focus on the work to be done and on engaging with society. We have a historic mission: to organise the first Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brazil and in South America. We are going to achieve this. In 2016, Rio will host excellent Games that will be delivered absolutely within the agreed timelines and budgets.”

olympics rio 2016

4 Comments

  1. This Olympics has all the ear marks of a coming disaster. In the future, maybe one country should host the games and the facilities, housing, security etc…could be utilized over and over again. This won’t happen though, because next to the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global initiative, the IOC is the most corrupt organization in the world.

  2. Right on Bill! Well said!
    TRUMP 2016!

  3. France has the chutzpah to criticize another country for bad security? Ha. Such “gaul” (bad pun).

  4. Let’s see, pollution in the bay so bad it can kill you (where the water sports will be held), the Zika virus, well known crime problem & they are trying to impeach the president. And they wonder why ticket sales are bad. Once they stared allowing professional athletes, I pretty much lost interest. Plus the staggered date for summer & winter games makes them not as special. Like the idea of having them in one place for each game & having them in the same year.

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