A report released Monday by Rio de Janeiro's Regional Labor and Employment Office revealed that 11 people died "while working on Olympic facilities or Games-related projects" between Jan. '13 and March.
The report, released by Elaine Castilho, the auditor for the Rio Olympic Games works, "also notes that no workers died in the preparations for the 2012 Summer Games in London."
The Metro Line 4 work "saw the highest number of fatalities with three." The causes of death "vary from electric shock to falling scaffolding" (ESPN, 4/26).
OLYMPIC BRIEFS ...
The PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games signed an official Internet portal sponsor agreement with Naver Corp. -- developer of the nation’s largest search engine and portal website naver.com. Naver will support the Games through its various resources including web search engine services and display advertisement services. In return, POCOG will grant various marketing rights including the use of the intellectual properties and marketing partner recognition program (PyeongChang 2018).
World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association Chair Jason Ferguson believes that "the sport is in prime position to capitalise on its rapidly expanding professional itinerary by launching a renewed bid for inclusion in the 2024 Olympic Games."
Ferguson, who is also president of the World Confederation of Billiards Sports, "announced the move during this year's World Championships in Sheffield."
Despite "having been left off the final shortlist for inclusion at the expanded Tokyo Games in 2020, Ferguson believes a professional tour which visited 10 different countries this season is testament to its rapidly increasing opportunity" (PA, 4/26).
