Organizers of Rio de Janeiro’s 2016 Olympics "changed course and will now provide air conditioning in 10,500 athlete bedrooms after initially planning to ask for payment as part of cost-cutting measures" aimed at reducing a $520M budget overrun, according to Tariq Panja of BLOOMBERG. The local organizing committee "is completing a budget review to slash costs" and to ensure it can stay within its R$7.4B ($2B) budget, "avoiding the need to seek a handout from the Brazilian government amid the worst economic crisis in a generation." Rio 2016 said in a statement, "Given that the 2016 Games are taking place in winter time in Rio, the requirement for air conditioning within the bedrooms of the Olympic Village was one of the decisions being carefully considered. Following the review process, it has been decided that air conditioning will be provided by Rio 2016 and this expenditure has been approved by the procurement committee." Rio 2016 "is looking to pare costs across the board, and has decided VIPs attending the event can make do without gourmet food or luxury cars." The committee "also plans to have 500 fewer paid staff than the 5,000 it originally expected." The deepest cuts "will probably come from operational areas like catering, transportation and cleaning services" (BLOOMBERG, 12/4).
BACH NOT WORRIED: The AFP reported IOC President Thomas Bach insisted Friday that "he was not worried by other cities holding referendums which voted against hosting future Olympic Games." Bach: "The referendum, it is not a question for the Olympic Games. People never answer the question being asked -- if you don't want to do something, then have a referendum. In Germany, it was a very particular situation. This does not worry us at all" (AFP, 12/5).
