(ATR) After closing the Paralympic Games, the city of Rio says overcoming all circumstances to host the Games only adds to the success.
Mayor Eduardo Paes, in his signature style, reminded Games’ critics of the warnings given to the city of Rio all the way up to the Olympic Games. He said that threats of economic instability, polluted water, and the zika virus overshadowed the progress Rio had made.
"[None of this] was confirmed throughout the games," Paes said. "I would like to say to those that do not believe in our country or our city and did not have the faith in our ability to overcome the difficulties that all the venues were delivered in time and with a smaller cost than was predicted in the budget. This statement must be said: none of us did hide."
Brazilian health officials say that zero cases of Zika had been reported from spectators or athletes at the Olympics and Paralympics.International Federations told Around the Rings during the Olympics that they were satisfied with competing on Guanabara Bay and the Lagoa de Freitas.
In the run up to the Games Paes said that cleaning up Guanabara Bay was a "missed opportunity," from the Olympics. He told ATR after the Olympics that the political will created by the Olympics will continue long after the IOC has left Rio.
Rio 2016 said just before the closing of the Paralympic Games that the final budget will reflect the $2.8 billion figure estimated in the 2009 candidature file. To reach a budget that is fully balanced, Rio will require "up to one percent," of the budget come from money from the city government.
So far Rio has accepted just over $9 million from the city, but that number is expected to rise during the final budget calibrations. Just before the Paralympics, Rio 2016 received just over $30 million in sponsorships from state run companies after direct appeals to President Michel Temer. Organizers said that the sponsorships were paid for after the committee convinced the companies directly they would be a good investment.
Paes said that the accomplishment of successfully hosting the Olympics and Paralympics "cannot separate [the] economic and political situation," Brazil faces. In between the two events Dilma Rousseff was removed as President, elevating Temer to the office. Temer had been the interim President of Brazil as Rousseff was impeached and suspended from office in May.
Brazil has seen negative growth of its economy over the last year and a half, and the State of Rio de Janeiro may require another federal bailout due to mounting debt. Brazilian media reported that today the state government cancelled contracts to continue cleaning lagoons in Barra outside of the Olympic Park due to lack of funds.
"Having achieved what we did with all this political turmoil and economic crisis, we think it is amazing," Paes said. "It is like winning a gold medal. I mean, it was tough, but we proved ourselves and our capability of things."
Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro
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