Olympic venues, transport links and even canapés "are expected to be scaled back under the latest cost-cutting measures aimed at keeping Rio 2016 on budget," according to Donna Bowater of the London EVENING STANDARD. Games organizers are presenting £164M ($232M) of savings to the IOC "to keep the event in the black with five months to go until the opening ceremony." The cuts "have been blamed by the media on the economic crisis in Brazil."
Estadão reported that to stay within the £1.35B ($1.9B) budget, organizers will have to make a 12% reduction. It "was reported in October that the organising committee was already cutting its budget" by 30% to balance its books. The temporary structures at the Olympic football stadium in São Paulo "are reported to be among the latest casualties of the cutbacks."
The Itaquerão arena, "which is due to host 10 matches in August and is home to Corinthians," was set to receive £2.37M ($3.3M) to adapt it for the Olympics. This "is now expected to be reduced."
Rio 2016 Exec Dir Rodrigo Tostes said that "there would be changes to the public access control equipment in the stadium." He said, "We are working to ensure we do not interfere with what is necessary."
Equestrian sports bodies "have reportedly sought reassurances that their events will not be affected, while aquatic governing organisations are understood to be similarly frustrated at Rio 2016’s economising." The Maria Lenk center "has three pools instead of four, limiting training for swimmers, divers and water polo players." Beyond the sporting venues, another proposal "is to reduce the metro service to make stops only in Barra da Tijuca, where the Olympic Park will be, and not at every station in between from Ipanema" (EVENING STANDARD, 3/3).
