Rio mayor pledges to funds to ensure Paralympics go ahead
By SSNHQ
Last Updated: 16/08/16 12:39am
Rio de Janeiro's mayor has vowed to provide the Paralympics with the funding it will need to go ahead next month.
Olympics officials have warned that some countries need the money to fly their athletes in for the Paralympics, which run from September 7-18.
On Friday a federal judge forbade the authorities to transfer public funds to the Rio 2016 organising committee.
Mayor Eduardo Paes insisted on Monday the city would fund the Paralympics, promising up to $47m (£36.5m) to bail them out if needed.
"It would be a shame for Brazil and for Paralympics sports and people with disabilities if we were not able to carry out the event," Paes said.
He spoke after meeting with the president of the International Paralympic Committee, Philip Craven, and its chief executive, Xavier Gonzalez.
Rio state authorities declared a "state of public calamity" in June in order to release emergency funds to finance the Olympic Games.
Paes insisted at the time that the Games would not suffer from financial problems and reiterated that the city's own finances were sound.
"Three weeks ago we verified that the committee does not have the resources to settle some of its accounts," he said.
"If necessary we will make an agreement to guarantee those funds."
