Rio On Track To Deliver 2016 Olympics Despite Serious Challenges - Bach

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Bernama) -- With just over a year to go, the International Olympic Council (IOC) are confident that the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games host, Brazil, can deliver its promises despite facing several challenges in their progress. IOC president Thomas Bach said there had been great progress in the Olympic village and other sports facilities, which had been told by the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Organising Committee. He also assured that the extension of the underground metro system to the Olympic Park in Barra which is the main transportation project connected to the Games, would be ready in time. "We got an update on the latest progress in regard to construction of the different venues, including the Olympic Village. We heard they are preparing very well. "They will be having 44 test events. And I will attend the rowing test event next week which will coincide with the one year countdown celebration on Aug 5 in Rio de Janeiro," he told reporters after chairing the second day of the IOC Executive Board Meeting, here Wednesday. Meanwhile, Bach admitted that the host were facing serious challenges over cleaning up the bay where the sailing competitions would be held. "We have issues which we discussed today again, the cleaning of the bay were measures that have been presented and are two-fold. Work is starting already now and others which will be applied just before and during the Olympic Games to ensure the safety and health of the athletes," he added. Previously, sailors in Guanabara Bay had reported worrying amounts of rubbish and pollution, including discarded furniture and floating animal carcasses. The state government had already admitted it will not be able to meet its original target of reducing pollution at the bay by 80 per cent. Rio de Janeiro was announced as the host at the 121st IOC Session held in Copenhagen, Denmark on Oct 2, 2009. Rio de Janeiro becomes the first South American city to ever host the Summer Olympics, the second city in Latin America to host the event after Mexico City in 1968, and the first since 2000 to be held in the Southern Hemisphere. The prestigious Games will take place from Aug 5 to 21, 2016 and more than 10,500 athletes from 205 National Olympic Committees will take part in 28 sports, including rugby sevens and golf, which were added by the IOC in 2009. (photoBERNAMA) --BERNAMA