Rio 2016 Olympics spokesperson Mario Andrada said that Brazil's Olympic organizers asked federal and municipal governments to "help them pay back" a deficit of R$117M ($37.5M) incurred in the hosting of the Paralympics, according to Andrew Downie of REUTERS. Andrada said that the request, which comes "in spite of repeated promises" the Games "would not need public money, was necessary because the two governments did not provide the funding they promised to host the Paralympics last September." He said, "We talked to them and told them the situation and they have said they will help. The deficit in December was R$132 million and we have reduced it to R$117 million so far this year." The Rio city government said that it was analyzing the contracts but the sports ministry "strongly denied" Andrada's allegations and said that it had "complied fully with all its commitments." In a statement, the ministry said, "The federal government does not consider that it has anything pending with the Rio 2016 Committee." Andrada said that the municipal administration "promised" R$150M and paid "only" R$30M, while the federal government promised R$100M and paid less than R$60M (REUTERS, 5/17).
