Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes "has vowed to provide the Paralympics with the funding it will need to go ahead next month." Olympics officials "have warned that some countries need the money to fly their athletes in for the Paralympics," which run from Sept. 7-18. Paes insisted on Monday the city "would fund the Paralympics," promising up to $47M to "bail them out if needed." He added, "It would be a shame for Brazil and for Paralympics sports and people with disabilities if we were not able to carry out the event" (SKY SPORTS, 8/16).
NOT IN ATTENDANCE: Brazil acting President Michel Temer will "not attend the closing ceremony of the Rio Olympic Games," which will be held on Sunday evening at the Maracanã stadium. Regarded as one of the "main masterminds of the rather questionable impeachment process of President Dilma Rousseff, which a large share of the population considers a coup," Temer was afraid of the public's "reaction to him in the opening ceremony." Since the beginning of the Games, Brazilians have "carried out protests," holding out signs saying "Out with Temer." With "the perspective of more signs and hostility from the crowd, Temer decided not to attend the closing ceremony" (XINHUA, 8/16).
SAVAGE CUT: Hockey Australia execs have warned a "savage cut" to their A$5M ($3.85M) funding under the Winning Edge program "would severely impact their ability to rebound from a disastrous Olympic campaign." Australian hockey "has arguably had its worst Olympics ever, with the men failing to reach the medal rounds for the first time in 44 years and no Olympic medal" since '84. That A$5.84M ($4.5M) is "dependent upon successes at benchmark events such as the Olympics," with the Champions Trophy, World Cup and world league competition also included. Hockey Australia CEO Cameron Vale said, "We have to be very careful about panic setting in and sports who so-called underperformed having their funding under threat. It can be self-perpetuating. This means the girls haven’t medaled since 2000. We have to take responsibility for that. The men are incredibly well funded and supported but we have only missed this one medal in a six or seven-year period" (Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH, 8/16).
OLYMPIC BRIEFS ...
The coach of Germany's Olympic canoe slalom team, Stefan Henze, "has died from head injuries after his taxi crashed into a concrete barrier in Rio de Janeiro." The 35-year-old was traveling back to the athletes' village in a taxi with Cristian Katini, a sports scientist on the team, "when they hit a concrete barrier head on" (London DAILY MIRROR, 8/15).
France's Renaud Lavillenie "expressed his disappointment after he was jeered by the Rio crowd" while competing in the final of the Olympic pole vault. Lavillenie, the defending champion from London 2012, was beaten to Gold by home favorite Thiago Braz da Silva of Brazil. He "likened the treatment he received from the partisan crowd" to that of the experience that U.S. athlete Jesse Owens had during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Lavillenie: "In 1936, the crowd was against Jesse Owens. We've not see this since. We have to deal with it. ... It really disturbed me, I felt the nastiness of the public and we do a sport where you never see that" (SKY SPORTS, 8/16).
Egyptian judoka Islam El Shehaby "has been sent home from the Rio Olympics after refusing to shake the hand of Israeli Or Sasson following the end of their bout." El Shehaby, who was sent home by his own team, "lost the fight on Friday and was reprimanded by the IOC for his actions." The IOC acknowledged that the rules of judo "do not oblige players to shake hands" but said that El Shehaby's behavior went against the Games' "rules of fair play" and "spirit of friendship." It said in a statement, "The Egyptian Olympic Committee has also strongly condemned the actions of Mr Islam El Shehaby and has sent him home" (REUTERS, 8/16).
