Tag: Rio Games 2016

• Friday, June 24th 2016 - 08:58 UTC

  Two presidents at opening of Rio Olympics in August

  

  Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's suspended president, will be invited to the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics on August 5, the organizing committee said Thursday. Rousseff has been replaced by vice-president Michel Temer pending her impeachment trial over allegations of fiddling government accounts.

• Wednesday, June 15th 2016 - 11:46 UTC

  Rio Games receive the blessing from Olympic Committee president

  

  International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said on Tuesday he was “happy” with interim Brazilian president Michel Temer's commitment to the Rio Games, following his first meeting with the host country's new leader.

• Monday, June 13th 2016 - 15:45 UTC

  US and Brazil studies confirm the presence of the “super bacteria” in Rio beaches and lagoons

  

  Scientists have found dangerous drug-resistant “super bacteria” off beaches in Rio de Janeiro that will host Olympic swimming events and in a lagoon where rowing and canoe athletes will compete when the Games start on August 5.

• Sunday, May 29th 2016 - 14:28 UTC

  World health experts call for Rio Olympics to be postponed or moved given Zika spread fears

  

  More than 100 health experts have called for the Rio Olympic Games to be postponed or moved because of fears that the event could speed up the spread of the Zika virus around the world, according to a public letter published online.

• Saturday, May 28th 2016 - 07:27 UTC

  WHO public health advice regarding the Olympics and Zika virus

  

  Based on current assessment, cancelling or changing the location of the 2016 Olympics will not significantly alter the international spread of Zika virus. Brazil is one of almost 60 countries and territories which to-date report continuing transmission of Zika by mosquitoes. People continue to travel between these countries and territories for a variety of reasons. The best way to reduce risk of disease is to follow public health travel advice.

• Monday, May 23rd 2016 - 10:50 UTC

  New recommendations for athletes and visitors of the coming Rio Olympic Games

  

  Australian athletes at this summer’s Rio Olympics will be supplied with condoms which offer “near complete” protection against the mosquito-borne Zika virus, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) announced. However, the virus has been linked to a birth defect that causes babies to be born with unusually small heads.

• Friday, May 13th 2016 - 07:13 UTC

  Brazil's third Sports minister since March with only 12 weeks to Rio Olympic Games

  

  Brazil shuffled its sports leadership team again on Thursday, just 85 days before the games arrive in Rio de Janeiro. The announcement came after vice president Michel Temer took over as the new acting president amid deep political turmoil. The previous president Dilma Rousseff was forced to temporarily resign following a Congressional vote to begin an impeachment trial against her for breaking budgetary laws.

• Thursday, April 28th 2016 - 07:27 UTC

  Amnesty said killings in Rio's favelas have increased alarmingly ahead of Olympics

  

  Amnesty International said on Wednesday that residents of Olympic host Rio de Janeiro's slum favelas are “living in terror” after 11 people were killed in police shootings in the past month. The rights group said at least 307 people were killed by police in the city last year and called on Brazilian authorities to take action in the 100 days ahead of the start of the Rio Games on August 5.

• Saturday, March 5th 2016 - 10:33 UTC

  Olympics organizers in Rio do Janeiro struggling with tickets, 50% remain unsold

  

  With five months to go before the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian organizers are struggling to sell tickets for South America’s first games. The IOC president Thomas Bach said the locals will buy up tickets at the last minute.

• Saturday, January 16th 2016 - 10:31 UTC

  Dead fish and garbage in Rio's Guanabara Bay question Brazil's Olympic celebrations

  

  Thousands of dead fish washed up on the shores of Rio’s Guanabara Bay during the week, not far from where events are being held at this year’s Olympic Games, environmental officials said. The incident was the latest involving water quality in the bay, where sailing, open water swimming, and triathlon races are due to take place during the Games in August.