Brazil

Brazilian Sports Minister Leonardo Picciani expects the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) to reinstate accreditation of a key anti-doping laboratory in Rio ahead of the summer Olympic Games in the city.

Brazil’s interim President Michel Temer has stated Rio de Janeiro, and the country as a whole, is ready to welcome visitors with “open arms” as he sought to address concerns over the staging of the 2016 summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Rio de Janeiro’s Mayor, Eduardo Paes, has lashed out at state officials over the policing of violent crime, stating they are doing a “terrible, horrible job” as the clock counts down to the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Local sports associations are being investigated by Brazilian federal police after allegations emerged that funds set aside for Olympic athletes may have been embezzled.

Brazil’s government has pumped an extra R2.9bn (€805m/$895m) into covering security at the Rio de Janeiro summer Olympic Games.

Brazilian Grand Prix promoter Tamas Rohonyi has dismissed reports that the future of the country’s Formula One race is under threat, despite Bernie Ecclestone, chief executive of the motor-racing championship, stating the event may not take place after the current season.

A senior Brazilian government official has said he remains confident that the security measures implemented at the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will be of the standard required to ensure the safety of spectators and athletes.

Sidney Levy, the chief executive of the organising committee for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, has insisted security, and not other matters such as the Zika virus, remains the utmost concern ahead of the multi-sport showpiece.

Acting Governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro Francisco Dornelles has warned the forthcoming Olympic Games could be a “big failure” due to financial difficulties that threaten security and transportation during the event.

Rio de Janeiro’s new velodrome, which will stage track cycling contests during the Brazilian city’s hosting of the 2016 summer Olympic Games, has become the final permanent venue to be handed over to the local organising committee after substantial difficulties in its development.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has suspended the accreditation of the Brazilian Doping Control Laboratory in Rio de Janeiro with little over a month remaining until the Olympic Games commence in the city.

Brazil’s government has authorised an emergency cash transfer of R2.9bn (€753m/$850m) for the state of Rio de Janeiro to support infrastructure projects and security for the upcoming summer Olympic Games.

The Brazilian government is today (Monday) expected to announce the transfer of R$2.9bn (€743.4m/$838.6m) in emergency funds to the state of Rio de Janeiro to help pay for infrastructure and security projects during the upcoming Olympic Games after a state of financial emergency was declared.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has maintained that there is a “very low risk” of further international spread of the Zika virus as a result of Brazil’s hosting of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, while interim Brazilian President Michel Temer and International Olympic Committee (IOC) counterpart Thomas Bach have stated their confidence that a successful event will be staged.

New independent testing on various waterways in Rio de Janeiro that will stage events at this summer’s Olympic Games has discovered drug-resistant ‘super bacteria’ at a number of sites, according to Reuters.

The Brazilian government is considering an emergency loan to the cash-strapped state of Rio de Janeiro ahead of its staging of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to Reuters.