Wednesday 5 August 2015 21:54, UK
Rio de Janeiro’s mayor has insisted building work at all venues to be used at next year’s Olympics is on schedule and has likened that feat to a miracle.
With exactly one year to go until the Games begin, the International Olympic Committee are in Brazil to check on progress being made.
After the South American nation was criticised for delays and massive cost overruns for last year’s World Cup, there are concerns that will spread to the 2016 Olympiad too.
Just this week, the World Health Organisation has told the IOC to investigate water pollution levels in Guanabard Bay, where sailing and windsurfing will take place.
At present, there is an overwhelming stench there and organisers admit they won’t be able to clean the area up in time for next summer.
Nevertheless, Mayor Eduardo Paes has sought to dispel worries with a detailed run-down of what stage each venue is at.
Speaking in an under-construction arena to journalists wearing hard hats, he was adamant the Brazilians are capable of delivering big projects when they are meant to and within cost scales.
Paes - who was hit with persistent questions about the quality of Rio’s waters - said: “We are literally making a miracle happen here.
"We want to show that we are capable of doing things on time, that Brazil is not a country where everything ends up over budget, everything ends up late.”
