IOC inspectors are "taking their final look this week" at Rio preparations for the Summer Games, according to Stephen Wade of AP. The IOC team "will find most of the venues ready to show off to billions" of TV viewers when the games begin this summer. But many Brazilians have "more serious worries than South America's first games." The Zika virus and raw sewage in area waters "may be scaring away fans and even some athletes." Budgets are "being cut everywhere including with security, and there are suspicions that corruption has touched some Olympic-related building projects." Organizers say the venues are 95% complete, but the velodrome and tennis center in the Olympic Park are "behind schedule as is the equestrian center in the northern cluster of Deodoro." All should be "ready for the games." Only 50% of 3.5 million tickets "allocated for Brazilians have been sold." Int'l sales are "also reported to be lukewarm." Paralympic sales "are worse." New Sports Minister Ricardo Leyser has "promised to boost sales and avoid an embarrassment" with TV showing "banks of empty seats." Rio organizers have "trimmed" about $500M to "keep their operating budget balanced." Cuts will "impact almost everything" behind the TV cameras including "food service, reduced seating in venues, bus schedules, resources for the opening and closing ceremonies." One proposed cut "would have had athletes pay to have air conditioning in their rooms at the Athletes Village," but that "ended with the Zika virus." Athletes "will have air conditioning and will be told to close their bedroom windows to keep out mosquitoes" (AP, 4/10).
