The International Olympic Committee (IOC) warned Rio 2016 Tuesday that “time is ticking” and they must attack the project “with all vigour” to ensure that the first Olympics in South America are a success.
With less than four years before the Rio 2016 Games begin, Rio organizers briefed the IOC executive board on their preparations amid leadership changes and continuing uncertainty about the budget, and location of some sports venues, reports The Associated Press.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams issued a statement saying, “our message remains: There is time, but time is ticking, and they need to carry on attacking this one with all vigour”.
Carlos Nuzman, head of the Rio 2016 organizing committee, said everything remains on schedule. He said, “we are in a very good comfortable situation. It’s important we work as a team – the IOC, the organizing committee, and the government. I think we are in a very good way”.
Rio said recently the rugby venue won’t be built where it was originally planned, and there is reportedly still uncertainty over the location of the field hockey arena. The land where the golf course will be constructed remains the source of a legal dispute.
Adams said, “we went through some of the venues that still need to be finalized. There is no kind of great concern. There is nothing new”.
He said the IOC asked organizers about the Brazilian economy, which experienced disappointing growth figures for the third quarter.
Rio officials still don’t have an exact figure for the cost of the Games. Nuzman said the budget would be announced next year.
He said, “we are expecting (the budget) any time. I don’t think there is any great concern about that. It is still within the timescale we’re expecting”.
