Athlete Housing In Rio Officially Opens; Australia Refuses To Check In

Editorial Coverage Sponsored By FINIS

Less than two weeks from the start of the Olympic Games, more issues are coming to the surface in Rio. While much of the world has been focused on doping issues, for athletes already in Rio, housing is a more immediate concern.

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has made alternative plans for its athletes, after discovering less than satisfactory conditions in the Olympic Village. According to Kitty Chiller of the AOC, the athlete housing has “blocked toilets, leaking pipes and exposed wiring.” There are additional safety concerns as lighting in the stairwells is poor and floors are dirty.

Athletes from New Zealand and Britain who were also already in the Village encountered similar problems.

To test the housing to see if it would withstand full occupation, the AOC conducted a “stress test.” When multiple lights were turned on and multiple toilets were flushed, “Water came down walls, there was a strong smell of gas in some apartments, and there was shorting in electrical wiring,” according to Chiller.

British spokesman Scott Field reported that while there are difficulties, work was being done to overcome those.

A few hundred athletes are calling the Village home after it opened this morning.

Read more from The New York Times here.

29 Comments

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Anaeli Villarreal

7 years ago

Ni modo then give the spots or rooms to the athletes that are willing to compete

Rob Green

7 years ago

Reply to Anaeli Villarreal

Stupid comment!

Madison Alexander

7 years ago

Reply to Anaeli Villarreal

So athletes should have to stay in unsafe conditions if they want to compete? ??

Kristie Wisniewski

7 years ago

Geez!!!

Jenny Cmc

7 years ago

Oh no!

Debbie Costello

7 years ago

Good grief. What a mess!

Susan Griley

7 years ago

What a mess !!!!

Anita Sisneros

7 years ago

OMG

Mohammad Amin Khadembashi

7 years ago

This is not good… Iman Khadembashi

Vee Au

7 years ago

How about security measures?!

Christine Wood

7 years ago

I heard that the United States basketball teams will be staying on a cruise ship instead of this new Olympic housing!! Smart move!!

Janet Ellis-Cranmer

7 years ago

Reply to Christine Wood

They are professional athletes worth millions. They can afford it.

Travis Morrin

7 years ago

Ahmed Akram

Scott Kalina

7 years ago

That’s what happens when you award the Olympics to a 3rd world country. They could be in the USA (Chicago) right now, but this is where the IOC wanted to be. Good for them.

Janet Ellis-Cranmer

7 years ago

I know they need travel time adjustment period but aren’t they there a bit early? Given an extra week, the toilets might have been ready. I’m pretty sure this has happened before.

Fernie Martinez

7 years ago

I sometimes fear as more and more countries run into similar problems when hosting the games, that the games will be ruined forever.

Janet Ellis-Cranmer

7 years ago

Reply to Fernie Martinez

Maybe more time, resources and effort needs to go into security and safety for athletes and visitors than into topping the latest spectacular ceremony. They can be awesome but let’s revisit priorities.

Janet Ellis-Cranmer

7 years ago

I wonder if this mess will distract the Australian athletes and effect performance? I’m a swim mom and want everyone to do their best, but go USA!

Ryan Rager

7 years ago

Hate to say it, but this is likely the tip of the iceberg for these Games 🙁 Really hope I’m wrong though.

Janet Ellis-Cranmer

7 years ago

Reply to Ryan Rager

Don’t say that…my daughter will be there!

Ryan Rager

7 years ago

Reply to Ryan Rager

I have friends going and hope everyone is safe! But it doesn’t mean I trust the Brazilian govt still. 🙁

Camilla Salem Dugonjic

7 years ago

Pretty awful considering they’re being encouraged to stay in their rooms all day to avoid zika.

Nan Zimmerman

7 years ago

This should have been addressed earlier. The athletes have been preparing for months-years. The hosts should either given the location to another country or constructed safe, attractive facilities. Olympic Committee oversight is needed.

Becky Lambert Schoeppner

7 years ago

What a complete disaster.

Alison Apodaca

7 years ago

Wow!!

John Razi

7 years ago

Aussies…smart-smart move !

Jody Corcoran Salem

7 years ago

The olymic committee a should have decided to move the venue when the truth about Brazil’s financial situation was revealed

Dawn Boipaws

7 years ago

Rio is a slum. The water is so polluted, swimmers in the triathlon can literally die if they ingest any of it. They should never have awarded Rio the Olympics

Lorenzo Laruffa

7 years ago