“Never before in the 56-year history of the Paralympic Games have we faced circumstances like this”, IPC president Philip Craven said.
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The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) confirmed today that the Rio Paralympics would go ahead as planned but there would be extreme budget cuts and changes to the original plan.
The Paralympic Games in Rio next month are being scaled back because of financial problems and some countries may not be able to send athletes as planned, the head of the International Paralympic Committee said Friday. “The IPC is working with them to find solutions and ensure their participation”.
Around 10 nations, even when the grants are paid, are struggling to fund their travel.
Craven also said he had met with Brazil’s interim president Michel Temer and the country’s minister for justice and defense minister, who promised that security forces in place for the Olympics will remain for the Paralympics.
The IPC said the workforce for the Paralympics will be downsized, transport services cut and the media centres closed for the games.
The IPC said it has already been imposing cuts over the a year ago and the fresh ones are set to affect every team and visitors to the games. “They have dedicated their lives to reaching these Games and we will do our upmost to try and maintain the service levels and scope that they expect at a Paralympic Games”.
Rio 2016’s spokesman Mario Andrada said the majority of these tickets were available for the “absolutely affordable” price of 10 Brazilian Reals, or £2.40, and said a new advertising campaign would help boost sales.
The closure of Deodoro Park, which was due to host shooting, wheelchair fencing, equestrian and seven-a-side football, is the most significant cutback, meaning many events will have to be accommodated elsewhere.
The British Paralympic Association said the cuts to the Rio 2016 budget were “worrying” but supported the efforts being made to resolve the difficulties.
As of this week, 12 per cent of tickets to the Paralympics had been sold, according to Andrada. “It’s what the athletes deserve and it is what the athletes want after years of training and dedication”, he added.
Public grants to the Rio organising committee, that should have been paid by July 29, have been held up by two court injunctions which demanded details of how money would be spent.
Repeated cuts to the 22-sport Games, with more than 4,300 athletes expected, have been made over the past 18 months as Brazil struggles with an economic and political crisis.
Athletes are due to start arriving from August 31.
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It serves as a stark contrast to the London 2012 Paralympics, which drew unprecedented numbers of supporters. “It is huge concern because we want to make sure all the athletes that have qualified to represent their country at the Paralympic Games get a chance to compete on the world stage”.
