Rio Games Organziers Confirm Work On Olympics Golf Course Could Be Halted

Organizers of the 2016 Rio Games confirmed that "a state prosecutor could halt work on the course unless the developer shows it is following environmental regulations and other requirements under Brazilian law," according to Stephen Wade of the AP. Rio 2016 spokesperson Mario Andrada confirmed the inquiry on Saturday and said that "developers had been asked to provide documentation that would allow the work to continue." Andrada: "The state prosecutor is asking for the papers to show the work is proceeding according to the law. We believe all the rules are being followed." Construction on the privately developed course, located about 25km (15 miles) west of Rio's famous Ipanema and Copacabana beaches, "had been delayed by an on-going legal dispute over land ownership, protests by environmentalists centered on the loss of a wetland area, and teething problems for a sport new to Brazil" (AP, 5/31).