(ATR) ASOIF director Andrew Ryan tells Around the Rings the summer sports are united in helping Rio 2016 in the dash to the finish line.
IOC president Thomas Bach last week pointed to the "solidarity" of summer federations in delivering cost savings across the Olympic project amid Brazil’s deepening economic crisis.
Speaking to ATR in Lausanne, Ryan told that "solidarity really is there" among the 28 sports."Everyone knows there is no time left for any conflict over this," Ryan said of the challenges for Rio Olympic organizers to deliver on their promises for the Games.
"We have gone the past the point of what we can do differently. We just have to get on and do it – and the IFs are doing that."
Ryan said a "turning point" came at the meeting between IFs, the IOC and Rio 2016 officials in Lausanne last month. Talks centred on trimming costs, balancing the Rio budget and operational plans.
The federations appear confident the venues will be delivered, although the velodrome project is under intense pressure; the track is not yet down and the test event is in jeopardy.
But worries remain about sluggish ticket sales and the provision of entertainment and food and beverage facilities at Deodoro Olympic Park to meet the needs of spectators visiting for extended periods of time.
Rio 2016 president Carlos Nuzman last week told reporters that only 47 percent of the 7.5 million tickets have been sold.
"We have concerns because we want full stadiums," Ryan said.
Reduction in seating capacities to slash costs at some venues including rowing "could play to our benefit because we don’t want empty stands", he added.
"If the Brazilian culture is that they tend to buy at the last minute, then we still have hope that they will be sold," he added.
Although the summer IFs have been promised Rio 2016 cutbacks will not affect athletes or the field of play, Ryan admits that "the experience of other people around the Games could be".
The federations are working hard with Rio 2016 and the IOC to bring services up to a good standard at Deodoro Park and elsewhere, he confirmed. "This is the Olympic Games, the biggest sporting event in the world. One would not want it to appear to someone coming to it to be any less than that," Ryan said.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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