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Rio Mayor Extends Olive Branch To Australia Olympic Committee

On Wednesday, an apologetic Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes, "welcomed the Australian Olympic delegation to the Olympic Village with keys to the city," according to Nelson Belen of the RIO TIMES. The ceremony took place three days after the delegation announced that no Australian athletes would move into the Village "due to the existence of serious health and safety concerns" that “endangered” the athletes. Problems at the Olympic Village "began to emerge over the weekend." Following its official opening on July 24, Australian Olympic Committee Head Kitty Chiller "refused to allow Australian athletes to move into the Village for what she deemed poor conditions" that “endangered” the athletes. In response to the situation, Paes made headlines, of the negative kind, when he said, “I almost feel like putting a kangaroo in front of their building to make them feel at home.” Despite the mayor’s "seemingly dismissive attitude, the complaints led to one thousand cleaners, plumbers, safety inspectors and electricians to the site working around the clock to make repairs and resolve the embarrassing incident." All "seemed well" by Wednesday morning as the Australian delegation announced that, after reassessing the rooms, "it was happy with their condition and would be moving in its 700-member strong team." As a sign of truce, Paes presented Chiller the keys to the city and "a doll of the Rio Games' official mascot, Vinicius." In return, and as a nod to Paes' kangaroo comment, "Chiller gave the mayor a boxing kangaroo doll and a Team Australia shirt" (RIO TIMES, 7/28).

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