The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Coordination Commission ended a three-day inspection of Rio 2016 Thursday and said that preparations for the 2016 Games are continuing to progress well.
In its second visit to Rio, the Commission received progress reports on a wide range of issues, conducted a venue tour, and met with government officials.
The Commission was most impressed by the high quality of people working on the project. Commission chair and IOC Executive Board member Nawal El Moutawakel said, “it’s been a year since the Coordination Commission last visited Rio and we are pleased with the amount of work that has already been undertaken by the Rio organizers. They have a solid and experienced team and this has helped to speed things along. The strong support from all levels of government has also played an important role in allowing the progress that we have seen this week to take place, and it will be key to the Games’ success in the future”.
El Moutawakel said, “over a year ago at the end of our visit I said that time was passing by and we have no time to waste. Today I am happy to say that Rio 2016 and its partners have taken those words seriously and made remarkable progress”.
The work already undertaken with respect to legacy and the athletes was particularly well-received by the Commission. El Moutawakel released a statement by Brazil’s government highlighting the signing of an agreement for construction of the Olympic Village for athletes as a key sign of progress.
Carlos Guzman, President of Rio 2016 said, “I would like to acknowledge the partnership that the IOC Coordination Commission has established with us. Throughout the last year the Commission has played a key role assisting Rio 2016, through the seasoned guidance of its members, to fulfil its many responsibilities. We believe that this collaboration with the IOC and our periodic meetings are fundamental to the successful organization of the Games”.
Sites visited during the visit included the Transcarioca Bus Rapid Transit Line, the Maracana stadium, a water treatment facility, Rio’s new city operations centre, and the Sambodromo, which will host a number of sports at Games time.
The Commission also noted that with the decision to approve the venue for golf, Rio has now finalized its venue master plan five years before the Games begin, allowing the organizers to start working with the International Federations on making the venues Games-ready.
Rio has been criticized recently by human rights groups who say the new highways are being used as an excuse to evict poor communities without paying them proper compensation or offering alternative housing nearby.
Reuters quotes El Moutawakel saying, “this is an issue that we are obviously watching closely”.
