Rio organisers deny 2016 Olympic delays

Rio de Janeiro, Sep 2 (IANS)

An aerial picture of the Joao Havelange Stadium which will host the athletics and opening cermony as preparations continue ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games on June 6, 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Rio de Janeiro officials have denied reports of major delays to the city’s 2016 Olympic preparations.

Local daily Estado de S.Paulo reported that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had identified “serious concerns” in an internal document.

The report came as IOC members met with local organising committee members Sunday to discuss the progress of Rio’s Olympic projects, reports Xinhua.

“There is no secret document. At the meetings that I took part in today, the IOC did not show any concern with anything in particular,” local organising committee president Carlos Arthur Nuzman said.

Rio’s mayor Eduardo Paes also rejected claims the Games’ preparations were behind schedule.

“The governments has access to these documents. There is nothing new,” Paes said.

IOC members will Tuesday travel to Buenos Aires where they will announce the host of the 2020 Games, Sep 7. The final candidates are Madrid, Istanbul and Tokyo.