Australia’s delegation took issue with the poor state of the Olympic Village, the 31-building complex located in the Barra da Tijuca district in the west of Rio de Janeiro created to house more than 18,000 athletes and coaching staff over the coming weeks. On Sunday, a report from the 2016 Australian Olympic Team has athletes anxious that it may happening all over again, this time at Rio’s Olympic village.
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Canada’s chef de mission for the Rio Olympics says while there are issues with the Olympic Village, they are not out of the norm for the run-up to Games.
Rio 2016 communications director Mario Andrada expressed disappointment that some delegations had not found the village to their liking, but stressed that remaining issues would be addressed before the start of the Games next week.
Repairs to the $1.5 billion village, where 5 percent of the 3,600 apartments are said to have problems, could force delays as the International Olympic Committee is asking for stress tests throughout the village, the AP said.
The delegations from Great Britain, Argentina, New Zealand, Brazil and Italy have also reported problems with their accommodation.
“We will be working hard to ensure that the ongoing works do not disturb their preparations for the Games”, Rio 2016 said in a statement.
The admission came a day after Australia’s delegation said it would not move into the Olympic Village because it was “not safe or ready”, citing deficiencies like “blocked toilets, leaking pipes and exposed wiring”.
While the Australians and Swedes have opted out of the incomplete Athletes Village, other teams are staying put.
However on Monday, Chiller told reporters there had been “fantastic progress today”. “We are reasonably confident we will be able to enter the village on Wednesday”.
She praised the village on a visit a few months ago, and said so on social media. He added he felt like “putting a kangaroo in front of their building to make them feel at home”.
“I’m not sure what’s more depressing, the fact this stuff is happening to foreigners so close to the Olympic Games or the fact that Brazilians have to live in a society that enables this. on a daily basis”.
Tancred said Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes would hand the team an official key on Wednesday.
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She said the Australian team had paid the initial cleaning costs to make its accommodation habitable and had not yet discussed with organizers whether that money would be reimbursed. “Some of the cleaners we will be paying for, yes”.
