Brazilian construction company Mendes Júnior "abandoned the largest anti-flood construction project around" the Maracanã stadium, according to Vinicius Konchinski of UOL. Mendes Júnior was named as a suspect in the Brazilian Federal Police's ongoing money laundering investigation, operation Lava Jato, so the company "terminated the contract signed by the Rio city council to divert the course" of the Joana river and "reduce the risk of flooding" at the stadium. The project was a responsibility "promised" by the city of Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics. Local government "confirmed an emergency contract" of R$35M ($11.5M) to consortium JDantas & Fábio Bruno to "substitute Mendes" in the project. The time period to "complete the project, though, is tight." Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes said he was "unsure if everything would be ready in time" for the Games. Paes: "That project is complicated. We're going to try to finish it. But if we don't, it's fine. The Olympics are in August. It doesn't rain in Rio de Janeiro to flood the Maracanã during that time of year." Mendes "only executed 51% of the promised project" (UOL, 4/9).
DATA SYSTEM: In São Paulo, Marcio Dolzan reported the Rio 2016 organizing committee on Wednesday "inaugurated" the Olympic Integration Test Lab for next year's Games. The lab will "undergo 200,000 hours of tests for transferring data that will be used during the Games, including the instant transmission of game results." The lab will also be "responsible for guaranteeing the function" of the Games' IT system (ESTADÃO, 4/8).
