Brazil

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has played down concerns over the 2016 summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro being affected by the outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil.

The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) medical director, Richard Budgett, has said that the body has not considered postponing or cancelling the 2016 summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro due to the outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil.

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has told US sports federations that athletes and staff concerned for their health over the Zika virus should consider not attending the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, according to Reuters.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has hosted a meeting between Rio 2016 and the 28 summer international sports federations (IFs) in a bid to address concerns ahead of the Olympic Games in the Brazilian city.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has given his backing to measures being taken to combat the mosquito-borne Zika virus as the Brazilian government maintained there is no chance the 2016 Olympic Games will be called off after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the situation an international public health emergency.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued guidance to National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and sports federations concerning the Zika virus affecting 2016 Olympic Games host nation Brazil, while it has been disclosed that the price tag for Rio de Janeiro’s event has risen by R$400m (€90.3m/$97.8m) since August.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has maintained that Rio de Janeiro will deliver a successful Olympic Games later this year, despite Brazil facing a “situation of crisis”.

Peter Sowrey, former chief executive of the World Sailing global governing body, has claimed that he was fired from the position for pushing to drop Guanabara Bay as the sport’s venue for this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rio 2016 has said the Brazilian city’s Olympic and Paralympic venues will be inspected on a daily basis during this year’s Games in an effort to prevent the spread of a mosquito-borne virus linked to a rare birth defect and a condition that can cause paralysis.

Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes has pledged that venues will be delivered on time for the 2016 Olympic Games after the equestrian facility joined the tennis centre in having its construction contract annulled.

A test event for track cycling ahead of the 2016 summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil has been pushed back by organisers due to construction work at the velodrome being behind schedule.

The City of Rio de Janeiro has cancelled the construction contract for the tennis facility that is scheduled to host events during the Brazilian city’s staging of this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Paraguayan state prosecutors yesterday (Thursday) raided the headquarters of the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) in the latest development in the corruption scandal engulfing world football, while Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Marco Polo Del Nero is set to embark on another period of leave in a bid to clear his name.

Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Marco Polo Del Nero has resumed his position at the helm of the governing body after completing a 45-day leave of absence taken to fight charges he is involved in world football’s wide-ranging corruption scandal.

The stadium earmarked to host track and field athletics during the 2016 summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is at the centre of a dispute over unpaid energy bills that has left the facility without power.

Brazil Attorney General Rodrigo Janot has launched an investigation over alleged bribes that were paid to a lawmaker to help secure contracts for the construction of venues and facilities for the 2016 summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.