(ATR) The Brazilian Olympic football team may be missing one of their top stars at Rio 2016.
Brazilian football officials travelled to Barcelona the past weekend to discuss the possibility of Neymar competing in the 2016 Olympics. The Olympic football tournament is not on the FIFA calendar, which means Neymar’s club FC Barcelona is not obligated to let him compete.
Visiting Barcelona were Brazil Olympic manager Dunga and team coordinator Gilmar Rinaldi. Gilmar said to Brazilian media after the meeting that all sides are working to make sure that the Olympic team, player, and club are not hurt by any decision.
Barcelona manager Luis Enrique told media after the team’s victory on March 12 that no decision has been made as all parties are considered.
"We have a common goal," Enrique said. "It is to seek the best for Neymar and the other players. When we have something concrete, we will say."
If Neymar were released he would be one of three overage players on the Brazilian squad for the 2016 Games. The Olympic men’s football tournament consists of under-23 teams with three overage players. Neymar participated in the 2012 Olympics for Brazil winning a silver medal.
Olympic Park Only Needs "Fine-Tuning"
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes says that only the velodrome remains as a concern for the Olympic Park.
Paes, along with Sports Minister George Hilton and President of Brazilian bank Caixa Miriam Belchior, visited the Olympic Park on March 14. After the visit the park was deemed 98 percent ready by the city of Rio.
"With the velodrome we are still racing against time, but we still have time," Paes said to Brazilian media. "Until the last moment, you'll have something going on. The physical works are ready, and now is the fine-tuning. Things are going very well, I want to reinforce it."
The velodrome was originally set to be completed in March with a test event at the end of the month. Delays in implementing the track and finalizing the outside of the venue have forced organizers to push the test event to the end of April.
The final set of test events will resume in April and contain the rest of the tests in the Olympic Park and the Olympic Stadium. With the modern pentathlon test event wrapping up on Monday, March 14, all of the tests have been finished at the Deodoro Park.
Mario & Sonic in Rio
The opening for the new Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games video game is out.
It contains iconic samba beats, the look of the 2016 Games, famous Rio de Janeiro landmarks and the available characters for game play.
Gamers will be able to play as the two characters competing in Olympic events on March 18 in the United States and in Europe on April 8.
The Rio edition will be the fifth in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series, as the duo has traveled to Beijing, London, Sochi, and Vancouver.
The new Olympic sports rugby sevens and golf will be special to the WiiU and 3DS respectively.
Watch the opening video below:
Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro
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