Brazil is confident that it can ensure security for more than half a million tourists and athletes attending the Rio Olympics this August, a senior official said on Wednesday. 
 
Andrei Rodrigues, secretary for major events at the justice ministry, said that a heavy police presence on the ground and international cooperation on intelligence gathering would overcome potential terror threats and the danger of violent crime. 
 
&quot;I have total confidence in our preparations for the security of the Games,&quot; Rodrigues told reporters a month ahead of the August 5-21 Olympics, which he described as &quot;the biggest event on the planet&quot;. 
 
Street crime is on the rise in Rio where budget cuts have left emergency services stretched, with police demonstrating on Monday to complain that they don&#39;t have enough funds for fuel or even toilet paper in their stations. 
 
In a grim reminder of Rio&#39;s often brutal realities, local newspapers reported on Wednesday that a mutilated body had been found, on Copacabana beach, where Olympic beach volleyball and other events will take place. 
 
Police could not be contacted to comment on the reports in O Dia and O Globo newspapers. 
 
Boots on the ground 
 
Rodrigues said that 47,000 police officers and 38,000 soldiers, whose tasks will include securing transport corridors, will keep a lid on crime. This is double the number deployed in the 2012 London Olympics. 
 
He also played down fears of a terrorist attack in Rio following a string of bloody, low-tech assaults in France, Belgium and this week in Istanbul airport, where jihadists fired into crowds, then blew themselves up, killing at least 41 people and injuring 239, according to the latest count. 
 
&quot;Brazil today is adopting the best international practices for security at major events and in the specific case of countering terrorism we have adopted all possible practices,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We are not going to alter our plans. We will be ever more vigilant.&quot; 
 
International cooperation on intelligence will be key to stopping terrorism, he said, and Brazil is hosting a coordination centre with 250 officers from 55 countries to exchange information. 
 
Unprecedented intelligence gathering 
 
&quot;It&#39;s the biggest operation of international police cooperation - not just in Brazil but for Interpol,&quot; Rodrigues said. 
 
A separate joint anti-terrorism center currently brings together officers from seven countries, along with Brazil: neighbouring Argentina and Paraguay, plus Belgium, Britain, France, Spain and the United States. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s the first time there&#39;s been this type of capability for security at the Olympic Games,&quot; he said. 
 
Rodrigues said that almost 394,000 people had undergone background checks so far and that 1.8 per cent of these had been barred from the Olympic Games. In all, he expected 600,000 background checks to be made. 
 
Also on Wednesday, authorities announced measures to ensure security at airports in Rio and to prevent attacks involving aircraft. 
 
&quot;Despite all our efforts to prepare, events like yesterday&#39;s (in Turkey) put us on the alert. The (transport) ministry has met to boost scrutiny in these areas. The forces are ready. We have measures that will adopted and which we cannot reveal for security reasons,&quot; said Transport Minister Mauricia Quintella. 
 
One measure will be requiring private jets to first go through a security check at an airport outside Rio before continuing to the city during the hours of 8:00 am and 10:00 pm. 
 
&quot;If not, planes will only be able to land between 2:00 am and 8:00 am when there is no mass gathering in progress. This will be another measure for minimising possible attacks,&quot; a government statement said. 
 
(AFP)

Statement comes as street crime are on the rise and police protest budget cuts that leave them without funding for toiler paper

Brazil is confident that it can ensure security for more than half a million tourists and athletes attending the Rio Olympics this August, a senior official said on Wednesday. Andrei Rodrigues, secretary for major events at the justice ministry, said that a heavy police presence on the ground and international cooperation on intelligence gathering would overcome potential terror threats and the danger of violent crime. "I have total confidence in our preparations for the security of the Games," Rodrigues told reporters a month ahead of the August 5-21 Olympics, which he described as "the biggest event on the planet". Street crime is on the rise in Rio where budget cuts have left emergency services stretched, with police demonstrating on Monday to complain that they don't have enough funds for fuel or even toilet paper in their stations. In a grim reminder of Rio's often brutal realities, local newspapers reported on Wednesday that a mutilated body had been found, on Copacabana beach, where Olympic beach volleyball and other events will take place. Police could not be contacted to comment on the reports in O Dia and O Globo newspapers. Boots on the ground Rodrigues said that 47,000 police officers and 38,000 soldiers, whose tasks will include securing transport corridors, will keep a lid on crime. This is double the number deployed in the 2012 London Olympics. He also played down fears of a terrorist attack in Rio following a string of bloody, low-tech assaults in France, Belgium and this week in Istanbul airport, where jihadists fired into crowds, then blew themselves up, killing at least 41 people and injuring 239, according to the latest count. "Brazil today is adopting the best international practices for security at major events and in the specific case of countering terrorism we have adopted all possible practices," he said. "We are not going to alter our plans. We will be ever more vigilant." International cooperation on intelligence will be key to stopping terrorism, he said, and Brazil is hosting a coordination centre with 250 officers from 55 countries to exchange information. Unprecedented intelligence gathering "It's the biggest operation of international police cooperation - not just in Brazil but for Interpol," Rodrigues said. A separate joint anti-terrorism center currently brings together officers from seven countries, along with Brazil: neighbouring Argentina and Paraguay, plus Belgium, Britain, France, Spain and the United States. "It's the first time there's been this type of capability for security at the Olympic Games," he said. Rodrigues said that almost 394,000 people had undergone background checks so far and that 1.8 per cent of these had been barred from the Olympic Games. In all, he expected 600,000 background checks to be made. Also on Wednesday, authorities announced measures to ensure security at airports in Rio and to prevent attacks involving aircraft. "Despite all our efforts to prepare, events like yesterday's (in Turkey) put us on the alert. The (transport) ministry has met to boost scrutiny in these areas. The forces are ready. We have measures that will adopted and which we cannot reveal for security reasons," said Transport Minister Mauricia Quintella. One measure will be requiring private jets to first go through a security check at an airport outside Rio before continuing to the city during the hours of 8:00 am and 10:00 pm. "If not, planes will only be able to land between 2:00 am and 8:00 am when there is no mass gathering in progress. This will be another measure for minimising possible attacks," a government statement said. (AFP)

Brazil has 'total confidence' in Olympics security

Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal is better equipped to win a medal in Rio in August than she was when she claimed a bronze at the London Olympics four years ago, according to former All England champion Prakash Padukone. 
 
Hopes that the former world number one can turn bronze into a first Olympic gold medal in the sport for her country were raised when Nehwal won the 2016 Australian Superseries title. 
 
Rio will mark a third Olympics for Nehwal, who beat former world champions Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand and Wang Yihan before overpowering China&#39;s Sun Yu in the final in Sydney. 
 
&quot;Saina has a lot more variety now,&quot; former men&#39;s world number one Padukone said in an interview. &quot;I think she plays a lot more at the net now. Earlier her game was more or less predictable. She had a few strokes, she used to keep playing them and there were not many variations. Now she has developed a lot more strokes, specially at the net. She is much more confident and that has made a big difference.&quot; 
 
The victory in Australia came at just the right time for Nehwal, who had failed to reach a World Superseries final since last November in China, and was returning from an Achilles injury she sustained at the end of last year. 
 
Padukone, who won the All England title in 1980 long before badminton was admitted to the Olympics in 1992, said the 26-year-old&#39;s game just needed a bit of tweaking. 
 
&quot;Tactically she can do a little bit more. Maybe a plan A and plan B, which I&#39;m sure she already has,&quot; said Padukone. &quot;Maybe if something doesn&#39;t work, then she has to have a different plan. It&#39;s just the question of a little bit of polishing. She definitely has everything otherwise she wouldn&#39;t have been where she is.&quot; 
 
China has long been the dominant force in the sport, sweeping all five titles at London four years ago, but their shuttlers no longer top the world rankings heading to Rio. While Malaysian Lee Chong Wei tops the men&#39;s singles rankings, Carolina Marin of Spain leads the women&#39;s list with Nehwal in sixth place. 
 
World Badminton has also limited each nation to two singles entrants in each event, down from the three at London and previous Games. Padukone feels that makes a Chinese sweep of badminton gold in Rio less likely. 
 
&quot;They are no longer the dominating force going by the results we have seen in the last 12 to 24 months,&quot; Padukone said. &quot;Earlier when the draw used to come, everybody used to hope there are no Chinese. That&#39;s no longer the case, that fear is not there anymore. That&#39;s good for the game. For the Indians, though they wouldn&#39;t say it, but it used to be a mind-block.&quot; 
 
India&#39;s best chance of medals will come in the women&#39;s singles, Padukone said, where as well as Nehwal they have PV Sindhu ranked 10th in the world. 
 
Padukone said the most important thing for the Indian shuttlers was to peak during the Rio Games. 
 
&quot;When you go there it doesn&#39;t matter if in the last two months you have beaten all the top players and you have been the world number one,&quot; Padukone said. &quot;It&#39;s important that you reach the peak and play your best during that particular week. That&#39;s what will count ultimately and will be the key.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Padukone, who won the All England title in 1980, said the 26-year-old's game just needed a bit of tweaking

Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal is better equipped to win a medal in Rio in August than she was when she claimed a bronze at the London Olympics four years ago, according to former All England champion Prakash Padukone. Hopes that the former world number one can turn bronze into a first Olympic gold medal in the sport for her country were raised when Nehwal won the 2016 Australian Superseries title. Rio will mark a third Olympics for Nehwal, who beat former world champions Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand and Wang Yihan before overpowering China's Sun Yu in the final in Sydney. "Saina has a lot more variety now," former men's world number one Padukone said in an interview. "I think she plays a lot more at the net now. Earlier her game was more or less predictable. She had a few strokes, she used to keep playing them and there were not many variations. Now she has developed a lot more strokes, specially at the net. She is much more confident and that has made a big difference." The victory in Australia came at just the right time for Nehwal, who had failed to reach a World Superseries final since last November in China, and was returning from an Achilles injury she sustained at the end of last year. Padukone, who won the All England title in 1980 long before badminton was admitted to the Olympics in 1992, said the 26-year-old's game just needed a bit of tweaking. "Tactically she can do a little bit more. Maybe a plan A and plan B, which I'm sure she already has," said Padukone. "Maybe if something doesn't work, then she has to have a different plan. It's just the question of a little bit of polishing. She definitely has everything otherwise she wouldn't have been where she is." China has long been the dominant force in the sport, sweeping all five titles at London four years ago, but their shuttlers no longer top the world rankings heading to Rio. While Malaysian Lee Chong Wei tops the men's singles rankings, Carolina Marin of Spain leads the women's list with Nehwal in sixth place. World Badminton has also limited each nation to two singles entrants in each event, down from the three at London and previous Games. Padukone feels that makes a Chinese sweep of badminton gold in Rio less likely. "They are no longer the dominating force going by the results we have seen in the last 12 to 24 months," Padukone said. "Earlier when the draw used to come, everybody used to hope there are no Chinese. That's no longer the case, that fear is not there anymore. That's good for the game. For the Indians, though they wouldn't say it, but it used to be a mind-block." India's best chance of medals will come in the women's singles, Padukone said, where as well as Nehwal they have PV Sindhu ranked 10th in the world. Padukone said the most important thing for the Indian shuttlers was to peak during the Rio Games. "When you go there it doesn't matter if in the last two months you have beaten all the top players and you have been the world number one," Padukone said. "It's important that you reach the peak and play your best during that particular week. That's what will count ultimately and will be the key." (Reuters)

Former badminton great Padukone pins Olympic medal hopes on India's Saina Nehwal

Twice major winner Jordan Spieth is still undecided about whether to participate in August&#39;s Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games or opt out because of the Zika virus like several of his fellow professionals. 
 
The American world number two is the highest-ranked golfer left in the field after number one Jason Day withdrew on Tuesday, citing concerns over Zika, a mosquito-borne virus that the World Health Organization says is spreading rapidly in the Americas. 
 
&quot;Right now, I&#39;m uncertain,&quot; Spieth told reporters ahead of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. 
 
&quot;I have not received enough information to make an informed decision either way or not so as we gather more information I will be able to make a decision one way or the other. 
 
&quot;When I feel confident, I will make a decision either side.&quot; 
 
Golf is returning to the Olympics for the first time since 1904, but the Games have already been hit by several high-profile withdrawals. 
 
Ireland&#39;s Shane Lowry, the world number 25, also withdrew on Tuesday, saying his decision was based on firm medical advice. 
 
World number four Rory McIlroy pulled out this month, saying the risk of contracting Zika was one he was &quot;unwilling to take&quot;. 
 
Fiji&#39;s Vijay Singh and Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, have also withdrawn because of the virus, along with Australia&#39;s Marc Leishman. 
 
World number eight Adam Scott has confirmed he will not travel to Rio because of his busy schedule. 
 
The Zika virus can cause crippling defects in babies and has been linked to the neurological disorder Guillain-Barre in adults. 
 
(Reuters)

Jordan Spieth, the world number two is the highest-ranked golfer left in the field after number one Jason Day withdrew on Tuesday

Twice major winner Jordan Spieth is still undecided about whether to participate in August's Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games or opt out because of the Zika virus like several of his fellow professionals. The American world number two is the highest-ranked golfer left in the field after number one Jason Day withdrew on Tuesday, citing concerns over Zika, a mosquito-borne virus that the World Health Organization says is spreading rapidly in the Americas. "Right now, I'm uncertain," Spieth told reporters ahead of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. "I have not received enough information to make an informed decision either way or not so as we gather more information I will be able to make a decision one way or the other. "When I feel confident, I will make a decision either side." Golf is returning to the Olympics for the first time since 1904, but the Games have already been hit by several high-profile withdrawals. Ireland's Shane Lowry, the world number 25, also withdrew on Tuesday, saying his decision was based on firm medical advice. World number four Rory McIlroy pulled out this month, saying the risk of contracting Zika was one he was "unwilling to take". Fiji's Vijay Singh and Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, have also withdrawn because of the virus, along with Australia's Marc Leishman. World number eight Adam Scott has confirmed he will not travel to Rio because of his busy schedule. The Zika virus can cause crippling defects in babies and has been linked to the neurological disorder Guillain-Barre in adults. (Reuters)

Golfer Spieth unsure about taking part in Rio

On court Novak Djokovic is taking tennis to extraordinary new levels with his single-minded obsession with winning. Off it the Serbian is more than happy to share power. 
 
The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court,12 months after claiming a second successive title by beating Roger Federer. 
 
While nothing will distract him from that goal, the dominant Serbian also knows that however big the gap is between himself and his rivals and it is a yawning chasm that no player is bigger than the sport. 
 
At his pre-tournament news conference at Wimbledon today, the world number one confirmed he had re-joined the 12-man ATP Players Council, along with chief rival Andy Murray and Murray&#39;s brother Jamie, the world&#39;s top doubles player. 
 
It is a responsibility Djokovic will apply himself to with the same devotion as his career for the next two years as tennis wrestles with the kind of doping and corruption scandals that have afflicted world sport. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ve been very flattered and humbled to be elected by my colleagues,&quot; Djokovic told reporters. 
 
&quot;The way I see it is that I managed to gain trust from players, which is very important to me. I have been part of the Player Council for three years earlier in my career. I`ve been familiar with the way the system works. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m hoping I can contribute to the evolution and to the betterment of our sport in every aspect.&quot; 
 
There is little argument that he has taken tennis to new levels of perfection since losing to Murray in the 2013 final here. 
 
Since then he has won six of the 11 grand slam titles on offer, taking his tally to 12 overall. 
 
In beating Murray at Roland Garros earlier this month he became the first man in 47 years to hold all four majors. 
 
He also won the ATP World Tour Finals in November and will have his eye on Olympic gold in August and probably the Davis Cup too. 
 
His immediate focus though is on a smooth opening to his Wimbledon campaign having chosen again not to play any grasscourt tournaments in the run-up. 
 
&quot;This year is quite different from previous years because I`m coming in with a Roland Garros title,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;That gives me, obviously, a lot of confidence. I&#39;ve played a lot of points in the practice sessions these four or five days, trying to be on the grass as much as I can. So I`m really keen on getting on the court.&quot; 
 
Djokovic, who beat Federer in the last two Wimbledon finals, could face a tough path to a hat-trick. 
 
Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic is a potential quarter-final opponent with Federer possible in the semis. 
 
Ward is unlikely to pose too many problems, although Djokovic is well aware that the crowd will be rooting for his opponent when play begins on Monday. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s going to be the first match on the untouched grass,&quot; he said. &quot; That&#39;s probably one of the most special tennis matches that you get to experience as a tennis player. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m looking forward to that. Obviously I know that he doesn`t have much to lose.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court

On court Novak Djokovic is taking tennis to extraordinary new levels with his single-minded obsession with winning. Off it the Serbian is more than happy to share power. The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court,12 months after claiming a second successive title by beating Roger Federer. While nothing will distract him from that goal, the dominant Serbian also knows that however big the gap is between himself and his rivals and it is a yawning chasm that no player is bigger than the sport. At his pre-tournament news conference at Wimbledon today, the world number one confirmed he had re-joined the 12-man ATP Players Council, along with chief rival Andy Murray and Murray's brother Jamie, the world's top doubles player. It is a responsibility Djokovic will apply himself to with the same devotion as his career for the next two years as tennis wrestles with the kind of doping and corruption scandals that have afflicted world sport. "I've been very flattered and humbled to be elected by my colleagues," Djokovic told reporters. "The way I see it is that I managed to gain trust from players, which is very important to me. I have been part of the Player Council for three years earlier in my career. I`ve been familiar with the way the system works. "I'm hoping I can contribute to the evolution and to the betterment of our sport in every aspect." There is little argument that he has taken tennis to new levels of perfection since losing to Murray in the 2013 final here. Since then he has won six of the 11 grand slam titles on offer, taking his tally to 12 overall. In beating Murray at Roland Garros earlier this month he became the first man in 47 years to hold all four majors. He also won the ATP World Tour Finals in November and will have his eye on Olympic gold in August and probably the Davis Cup too. His immediate focus though is on a smooth opening to his Wimbledon campaign having chosen again not to play any grasscourt tournaments in the run-up. "This year is quite different from previous years because I`m coming in with a Roland Garros title," he said. "That gives me, obviously, a lot of confidence. I've played a lot of points in the practice sessions these four or five days, trying to be on the grass as much as I can. So I`m really keen on getting on the court." Djokovic, who beat Federer in the last two Wimbledon finals, could face a tough path to a hat-trick. Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic is a potential quarter-final opponent with Federer possible in the semis. Ward is unlikely to pose too many problems, although Djokovic is well aware that the crowd will be rooting for his opponent when play begins on Monday. "It's going to be the first match on the untouched grass," he said. " That's probably one of the most special tennis matches that you get to experience as a tennis player. "I'm looking forward to that. Obviously I know that he doesn`t have much to lose." (Reuters)

Djokovic focused on Wimbledon but sees bigger picture

Tokyo officials have scrapped plans to attend the Rio Olympics in a bid to cut spending after a financial scandal cost the city governor,&nbsp;Yoichi Masuzoe,&nbsp;his job, local media said today. 
 
The decision comes just days after Masuzoe resigned for spending public money intended for political campaigns on lavish hotels and spa trips, the latest embarrassing gaffe on the city&#39;s troubled road to hosting the 2020 Olympics. 
 
The Tokyo metropolitan assembly has cancelled plans for 27 of its members to view operations at this summer&#39;s Rio Games as costs for the trip have sky-rocketed from initial estimates of 62 million yen (around $600,000), the Nikkei business daily reported. 
 
The U-turn comes after citizens lobbied the assembly to reconsider, although some officials are said to be looking into paying their own way to Rio, citing the need to be there as organisers of the next Summer Olympics. 
 
Masuzoe stepped down last week hours before facing a no-confidence vote, becoming the city&#39;s second governor to quit since Tokyo was named host of the 2020 Games. 
 
His predecessor Naoki Inose -- who led the capital&#39;s successful Olympic bid -- bowed out in late 2013 after also becoming embroiled in a personal finance scandal. 
 
Masuzoe&#39;s woes began in April when reports emerged he was using his official car to be driven at the weekends to a cottage south of Tokyo. 
 
Further allegations emerged that Masuzoe had travelled overseas in first class, bought art online and spent public money on family outings and accommodation in Japan. 
 
An election for a new governor is expected as early as next month. 
 
Masuzoe&#39;s humiliating departure is the latest in a string of embarrassing gaffes that have plagued Olympic preparations. 
 
Last year, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tore up the blueprints for the main Olympic stadium because of ballooning costs, before the official Games logo was also ditched after the designer was accused of plagiarism. 
 
Those fiascos have since been overshadowed by allegations of corruption and French prosecutors have launched an investigation into $2 million in alleged bribes linked to Tokyo&#39;s bid to host the Games. 
 
(AFP)

27 officials from the host of the 2020 Summer Games won't attend Rio 2016 amid improper spending and ballooning costs

Tokyo officials have scrapped plans to attend the Rio Olympics in a bid to cut spending after a financial scandal cost the city governor, Yoichi Masuzoe, his job, local media said today. The decision comes just days after Masuzoe resigned for spending public money intended for political campaigns on lavish hotels and spa trips, the latest embarrassing gaffe on the city's troubled road to hosting the 2020 Olympics. The Tokyo metropolitan assembly has cancelled plans for 27 of its members to view operations at this summer's Rio Games as costs for the trip have sky-rocketed from initial estimates of 62 million yen (around $600,000), the Nikkei business daily reported. The U-turn comes after citizens lobbied the assembly to reconsider, although some officials are said to be looking into paying their own way to Rio, citing the need to be there as organisers of the next Summer Olympics. Masuzoe stepped down last week hours before facing a no-confidence vote, becoming the city's second governor to quit since Tokyo was named host of the 2020 Games. His predecessor Naoki Inose -- who led the capital's successful Olympic bid -- bowed out in late 2013 after also becoming embroiled in a personal finance scandal. Masuzoe's woes began in April when reports emerged he was using his official car to be driven at the weekends to a cottage south of Tokyo. Further allegations emerged that Masuzoe had travelled overseas in first class, bought art online and spent public money on family outings and accommodation in Japan. An election for a new governor is expected as early as next month. Masuzoe's humiliating departure is the latest in a string of embarrassing gaffes that have plagued Olympic preparations. Last year, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tore up the blueprints for the main Olympic stadium because of ballooning costs, before the official Games logo was also ditched after the designer was accused of plagiarism. Those fiascos have since been overshadowed by allegations of corruption and French prosecutors have launched an investigation into $2 million in alleged bribes linked to Tokyo's bid to host the Games. (AFP)

Tokyo scraps plans to travel to Rio Olympics after embarassing finance scandal

Cameron McEvoy has that rare ability to bend water to his will and the sprinter could help Australia to a bumper haul of swimming medals at the Rio Games, five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe has told Reuters. 
 
McEvoy posted a time of 47.04 seconds in the 100 metres freestyle at Australia&#39;s Olympic trials in April, the fastest recorded since synthetic suits were banned at the end of 2009. 
 
That put the 22-year-old among the favourites for Rio&#39;s blue riband sprint in August and to Thorpe was evidence that being a champion swimmer is about more than just physique. 
 
&quot;He is one of the most exciting swimmers I have seen,&quot; Thorpe, who won five gold, three silver and a bronze medal at the Sydney and Athens Olympics, told Reuters in an interview. 
 
While McEvoy, at 1.85m, is still towered over by many of his rivals, Thorpe said his technique and afinity with the water set him apart. 
 
&quot;I think people who are very successful in swimming are those that can capture the water, they learn how the water moves and how you can move within it,&quot; he added. 
 
&quot;A lot of people look to physical characteristics to explain people&#39;s brilliance and it really has very little to do with this. 
 
&quot;And with someone like Cameron McEvoy&#39;s stature, it shows those people &#39;I want to master the water.&#39;&quot; 
 
Thorpe, who will act as a panellist for India&#39;s Star Sports during the Olympics, also has high hopes for the Campbell sisters, Cate and Bronte, in Rio and said their sibbling rivalry can only bode well for the country&#39;s medal prospects. 
 
At the April trials, sprint queen Cate set the second fastest 50m freestyle of all time in 23.84 seconds, just 0.11 seconds shy of Britta Steffen&#39;s 2009 world record set in a synthetic swim-suit. 
 
She also set the year&#39;s fastest time of 52.38 seconds in the 100 freestyle, edging her sister and world champion Bronte, who was a runner-up despite carrying a shoulder injury. 
 
The sisters are set to clash in the 50 and 100 freestyle in Rio while teaming up in the women&#39;s 4x100m relay and 4x100m medley relays. 
 
&quot;I think the match-up between the Campbell sisters is very interesting,&quot; said Thorpe. &quot;Those two girls have swam so well and they are the best of friends. And number one and two in the world, which looks very good for our relay ...&quot; 
 
Australia has long relied on its swimmers to provide a bulk of medals at Olympics but won only a single relay title in London four years ago. 
 
The worst medal haul in 20 years led to a series of reviews that found evidence of bullying, drunkenness and the abuse of prescription drugs by some team members. 
 
Thorpe said the swim team would be out to redeem themselves at Rio. 
 
&quot;Australia has a very strong team. It&#39;s the best team that we have fielded for a decade I think when it comes to swimming,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;I feel we will win a number of gold medals. I am hesitant to say an exact number but I think it will be between four and six gold medals. 
 
&quot;We have more people that are ranked world number one than we did going into the London and we are very strong in a number of events .We will win some of the higher profile Olympic gold medals.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

McEvoy posted a time of 47.04 seconds in the 100 metres freestyle at Australia's Olympic trials in April

Cameron McEvoy has that rare ability to bend water to his will and the sprinter could help Australia to a bumper haul of swimming medals at the Rio Games, five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe has told Reuters. McEvoy posted a time of 47.04 seconds in the 100 metres freestyle at Australia's Olympic trials in April, the fastest recorded since synthetic suits were banned at the end of 2009. That put the 22-year-old among the favourites for Rio's blue riband sprint in August and to Thorpe was evidence that being a champion swimmer is about more than just physique. "He is one of the most exciting swimmers I have seen," Thorpe, who won five gold, three silver and a bronze medal at the Sydney and Athens Olympics, told Reuters in an interview. While McEvoy, at 1.85m, is still towered over by many of his rivals, Thorpe said his technique and afinity with the water set him apart. "I think people who are very successful in swimming are those that can capture the water, they learn how the water moves and how you can move within it," he added. "A lot of people look to physical characteristics to explain people's brilliance and it really has very little to do with this. "And with someone like Cameron McEvoy's stature, it shows those people 'I want to master the water.'" Thorpe, who will act as a panellist for India's Star Sports during the Olympics, also has high hopes for the Campbell sisters, Cate and Bronte, in Rio and said their sibbling rivalry can only bode well for the country's medal prospects. At the April trials, sprint queen Cate set the second fastest 50m freestyle of all time in 23.84 seconds, just 0.11 seconds shy of Britta Steffen's 2009 world record set in a synthetic swim-suit. She also set the year's fastest time of 52.38 seconds in the 100 freestyle, edging her sister and world champion Bronte, who was a runner-up despite carrying a shoulder injury. The sisters are set to clash in the 50 and 100 freestyle in Rio while teaming up in the women's 4x100m relay and 4x100m medley relays. "I think the match-up between the Campbell sisters is very interesting," said Thorpe. "Those two girls have swam so well and they are the best of friends. And number one and two in the world, which looks very good for our relay ..." Australia has long relied on its swimmers to provide a bulk of medals at Olympics but won only a single relay title in London four years ago. The worst medal haul in 20 years led to a series of reviews that found evidence of bullying, drunkenness and the abuse of prescription drugs by some team members. Thorpe said the swim team would be out to redeem themselves at Rio. "Australia has a very strong team. It's the best team that we have fielded for a decade I think when it comes to swimming," he said. "I feel we will win a number of gold medals. I am hesitant to say an exact number but I think it will be between four and six gold medals. "We have more people that are ranked world number one than we did going into the London and we are very strong in a number of events .We will win some of the higher profile Olympic gold medals." (Reuters)

Water whisperer McEvoy will lead Australia charge: Thorpe

World athletics federation IAAF has&nbsp;come closer to destroying sport in Russia than helping it develop by suspending the country&#39;s track and field team over doping offences, the Russian sport minister said. 
 
First imposed in November, the IAAF ban was extended on Friday and supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Saturday. 
 
&quot;I have written an open letter to (the IAAF)... If you are an organisation whose aim is to develop athletics then you have done everything to destroy it,&quot; Vitaly Mutko told Reuters in an interview. 
 
Russian track and field athletes had not participated in international competitions in January. 
 
&quot;I, on behalf of the state, cannot finance the country&#39;s national team. That means all this is falling apart. Next, I cannot finance the training centre, all these are closing down. The young athletes do not have any motivation,&quot; Mutko said. 
 
Individual Russian track and field athletes assessed as clean will be able to compete for their country in Brazil, IOC President Thomas Bach said on Tuesday, diluting the IAAF&#39;s ban. 
 
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach also said all competitors from both Russia and Kenya would, given their countries&#39; recent history of doping, have to be screened individually before being allowed to participate in the Games. 
 
He did not elaborate on what the evaluation would include. 
 
The Russian track and field team remains suspended from Rio de Janeiro after the IOC supported the ban, for systemic doping, which world athletics federation IAAF had extended on Friday. 
 
But Bach, speaking at the end of a summit on doping, offered a limited number of Russian athletes the chance to race under their flag. 
 
In a decision welcomed by the sports ministry in Moscow, he said those cleared by the IAAF or the Court of Arbitration for Sport as clean and eligible would be able to compete in Brazil. 
 
The unsatisfactory record of anti-doping bodies in Russia, as well as Kenya, had put &quot;very serious doubts on the presumption of innocence&quot; of their athletes, Bach said. 
 
But they had the right of appeal and &quot;if there are (Russian) athletes qualified then they will compete as members of the Russian Olympic Committee team,&quot; he told reporters. 
 
The IAAF had said on Friday that any Russian athlete would have to compete under a neutral flag, a recommendation it reiterated on Tuesday following Bach&#39;s comments. 
 
&quot;This decision has been unequivocally supported across sport and the IOC Summit today unanimously agreed to fully respect the IAAF decision,&quot; the federation said in a statement. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

However, Russia's sports minister has said that the suspensions are destroying sport in the country

World athletics federation IAAF has come closer to destroying sport in Russia than helping it develop by suspending the country's track and field team over doping offences, the Russian sport minister said. First imposed in November, the IAAF ban was extended on Friday and supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Saturday. "I have written an open letter to (the IAAF)... If you are an organisation whose aim is to develop athletics then you have done everything to destroy it," Vitaly Mutko told Reuters in an interview. Russian track and field athletes had not participated in international competitions in January. "I, on behalf of the state, cannot finance the country's national team. That means all this is falling apart. Next, I cannot finance the training centre, all these are closing down. The young athletes do not have any motivation," Mutko said. Individual Russian track and field athletes assessed as clean will be able to compete for their country in Brazil, IOC President Thomas Bach said on Tuesday, diluting the IAAF's ban. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach also said all competitors from both Russia and Kenya would, given their countries' recent history of doping, have to be screened individually before being allowed to participate in the Games. He did not elaborate on what the evaluation would include. The Russian track and field team remains suspended from Rio de Janeiro after the IOC supported the ban, for systemic doping, which world athletics federation IAAF had extended on Friday. But Bach, speaking at the end of a summit on doping, offered a limited number of Russian athletes the chance to race under their flag. In a decision welcomed by the sports ministry in Moscow, he said those cleared by the IAAF or the Court of Arbitration for Sport as clean and eligible would be able to compete in Brazil. The unsatisfactory record of anti-doping bodies in Russia, as well as Kenya, had put "very serious doubts on the presumption of innocence" of their athletes, Bach said. But they had the right of appeal and "if there are (Russian) athletes qualified then they will compete as members of the Russian Olympic Committee team," he told reporters. The IAAF had said on Friday that any Russian athlete would have to compete under a neutral flag, a recommendation it reiterated on Tuesday following Bach's comments. "This decision has been unequivocally supported across sport and the IOC Summit today unanimously agreed to fully respect the IAAF decision," the federation said in a statement. (Reuters)

IOC offers Rio lifeline to Russian track and field athletes

An Australian paralympic sailor and team official were robbed at gunpoint while training in Rio de Janeiro at the weekend, raising fears about the security of athletes and tourists in &nbsp;Olympic Games. 
 
Liesl Tesch and physiotherapist Sarah Ross said that they were taking a bike ride in a park near their hotel at Flamengo Beach early on Sunday when they were confronted by two men, one of whom was carrying a pistol. 
 
Tesch, who won a sailing gold at the London Paralympic Games and has also competed in wheelchair basketball, told Australian television that the armed man pointed the gun at her and then gave her a shove. 
 
&quot;I think he said &#39;dinero&#39; (money),&quot; she told Channel Nine, adding that she lifted up her shirt to showed she had no money with her. 
 
&quot;And then he said something else, but I don&#39;t know what he said, lifted the gun up towards me and then pushed me in the shoulder and I just fell down on the cobblestones.&quot; 
 
The men took the bikes and rode off, she added. 
 
&quot;It was absolutely horrific, I can see it clear as day in my own head. We are both shaken, but physically we&#39;re both OK,&quot; said Tesch, who trained on her boat later that day. 
 
Tesch and Ross reported the incident to local police, said&nbsp;the Australian Paralympic Committee . 
 
Australia&#39;s Paralympic team chef de mission Kate McLoughlin said the sailing team were shaken by the incident and repeated a warning to athletes to exercise a high degree of caution while travelling in Rio. 
 
&ldquo;That advice is particularly important before the Paralympic Games period,&rdquo; said&nbsp;McLoughlin . 
 
&ldquo;We know there will be a hugely elevated level of security in place during the Paralympic Games, but for athletes and teams travelling there before the Games, there is a heightened need to be security conscious.&rdquo; 
 
The Sept. 7-18 Paralympics follow the Olympics, which opens on Aug. 5. 
 
Olympic organizers plan to deploy around 85,000 security personnel for the Games, double the number used in London in 2012. 
 
Security issues are just one of the concerns facing Rio, which on Friday declared a state of financial emergency to help fulfil obligations for public services during the Olympics. 
 
Emergency measures are needed to avoid &quot;a total collapse in public security, health, education, transport and environmental management,&quot; a decree in the state&#39;s Official Gazette said. 
 
The financial pinch resulted in a 30 percent cut in the state&#39;s security budget - just as Rio has seen a jump in homicides and assaults in recent months, raising concerns about safety ahead of the Olympics. 
 
(Reuters)

Liesl Tesch and physiotherapist Sarah Ross were taking a bike ride in a park near their hotel on Flamengo Beach when two men attacked them

An Australian paralympic sailor and team official were robbed at gunpoint while training in Rio de Janeiro at the weekend, raising fears about the security of athletes and tourists in Olympic Games. Liesl Tesch and physiotherapist Sarah Ross said that they were taking a bike ride in a park near their hotel at Flamengo Beach early on Sunday when they were confronted by two men, one of whom was carrying a pistol. Tesch, who won a sailing gold at the London Paralympic Games and has also competed in wheelchair basketball, told Australian television that the armed man pointed the gun at her and then gave her a shove. "I think he said 'dinero' (money)," she told Channel Nine, adding that she lifted up her shirt to showed she had no money with her. "And then he said something else, but I don't know what he said, lifted the gun up towards me and then pushed me in the shoulder and I just fell down on the cobblestones." The men took the bikes and rode off, she added. "It was absolutely horrific, I can see it clear as day in my own head. We are both shaken, but physically we're both OK," said Tesch, who trained on her boat later that day. Tesch and Ross reported the incident to local police, said the Australian Paralympic Committee . Australia's Paralympic team chef de mission Kate McLoughlin said the sailing team were shaken by the incident and repeated a warning to athletes to exercise a high degree of caution while travelling in Rio. “That advice is particularly important before the Paralympic Games period,” said McLoughlin . “We know there will be a hugely elevated level of security in place during the Paralympic Games, but for athletes and teams travelling there before the Games, there is a heightened need to be security conscious.” The Sept. 7-18 Paralympics follow the Olympics, which opens on Aug. 5. Olympic organizers plan to deploy around 85,000 security personnel for the Games, double the number used in London in 2012. Security issues are just one of the concerns facing Rio, which on Friday declared a state of financial emergency to help fulfil obligations for public services during the Olympics. Emergency measures are needed to avoid "a total collapse in public security, health, education, transport and environmental management," a decree in the state's Official Gazette said. The financial pinch resulted in a 30 percent cut in the state's security budget - just as Rio has seen a jump in homicides and assaults in recent months, raising concerns about safety ahead of the Olympics. (Reuters)

Australian paralympic sailor robbed at gunpoint in Rio

Craig Reedie, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, indicated today that he would be prepared to back a complete ban for the entire Russia team from August&#39;s Olympic Games in Rio. 
 
The founding president of WADA, Dick Pound, told Britain&#39;s Sunday Times newspaper that such a ban was &quot;not impossible&quot;. 
 
Friday saw the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) uphold an international ban on Russia&#39;s track and field competitors first imposed in November after a WADA team led by veteran Canadian sports administrator Pound revealed state-sponsored doping and mass corruption in Russian athletics.&nbsp; 
 
The Russia team is now ruled out of all events in athletics in Rio, although Russian athletes training outside the country can apply to compete as neutrals at the August 5-21 event in Brazil. 
 
The IAAF&#39;s decision was endorsed by the International Olympic Committee on Saturday. 
 
But there are fears that the scale of Russia&#39;s breaking of doping rules extend beyond just track and field. 
 
In May, WADA set up a new investigation under Professor Richard McLaren, a Canadian law professor and longstanding member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), into allegations of state-backed doping at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia. 
 
Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of the Russian lab now living in Los Angeles, also gave an interview to the New York Times last month in which he said he switched tainted urine samples for clean ones at the doping lab used for the Sochi Games, with help from people he believed to be officers of the Russian security services. 
 
McLaren, who is due to deliver his full report by July 15, said in a preliminary statement on Friday he had evidence that Russia&#39;s Ministry of Sport was involved in instructing a Moscow laboratory to &quot;not report positive sample results over the period before, during and after&quot; the 2013 World Athletics Championships. 
 
&quot;In the coming weeks, we will learn the outcome of our independent McLaren investigation,&quot; Reedie, speaking at the WADA symposium at London`s Lord&#39;s Cricket Ground, said Monday. 
 
&quot;If his report indicates transgressions of any kind, then there will be a precedent-setting opportunity to demonstrate our collective commitment to cleaning up sport,&quot; added the veteran British sports administrator, who reiterated WADA&#39;s support for the IAAF ban on Russia. 
 
&quot;The world will be watching.&quot; 
 
Reedie said the fact anti-doping laboratories in Beijing, Bloemfontein, Lisbon, Madrid and Moscow had all had their WADA accreditation suspended was proof that the organisation had taken &quot;decisive action&quot; by hearing the &quot;strength of the athlete&#39;s voice&quot; in insisting labs maintain the &quot;highest standards&quot;. 
 
This, said Reedie, was all part of &quot;levelling the playing field for each and every athlete competing in Rio&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile Reedie repeated his calls for increased WADA funding from national governments and also suggested that, for the first time, broadcasters and media rights-holders might want to contribute to the budget. 
 
Reedie said WADA was &quot;punching above its weight&quot; on a budget of less than $30 million a year, which he noted was less than the annual income of Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, recently banned for a doping violation. 
 
Reedie added that 0.5 per cent of the worldwide sports television rights market would produce a WADA budget of $175 million and that it was in the rights-holders&#39; interest to promote clean sport. 
 
Russian President Vladmir Putin&nbsp;has labelled the IAAF&#39;s ban on his country&#39;s athletes as &quot;unjust and unfair&quot;. 
 
But IAAF president Sebastian Coe, who won Olympic 1500 metres gold and 800m silver for Great Britain at the 1980 Moscow Games, wrote in Britain&#39;s Sunday Telegraph: &quot;We have not prevented clean athletes from Russia from competing, rather the Russian system has cataclysmically failed their clean athletes.&quot; 
(AFP)

Russian athletes training outside the country can apply to compete as neutrals at the August event in Brazil

Craig Reedie, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, indicated today that he would be prepared to back a complete ban for the entire Russia team from August's Olympic Games in Rio. The founding president of WADA, Dick Pound, told Britain's Sunday Times newspaper that such a ban was "not impossible". Friday saw the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) uphold an international ban on Russia's track and field competitors first imposed in November after a WADA team led by veteran Canadian sports administrator Pound revealed state-sponsored doping and mass corruption in Russian athletics. The Russia team is now ruled out of all events in athletics in Rio, although Russian athletes training outside the country can apply to compete as neutrals at the August 5-21 event in Brazil. The IAAF's decision was endorsed by the International Olympic Committee on Saturday. But there are fears that the scale of Russia's breaking of doping rules extend beyond just track and field. In May, WADA set up a new investigation under Professor Richard McLaren, a Canadian law professor and longstanding member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), into allegations of state-backed doping at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia. Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of the Russian lab now living in Los Angeles, also gave an interview to the New York Times last month in which he said he switched tainted urine samples for clean ones at the doping lab used for the Sochi Games, with help from people he believed to be officers of the Russian security services. McLaren, who is due to deliver his full report by July 15, said in a preliminary statement on Friday he had evidence that Russia's Ministry of Sport was involved in instructing a Moscow laboratory to "not report positive sample results over the period before, during and after" the 2013 World Athletics Championships. "In the coming weeks, we will learn the outcome of our independent McLaren investigation," Reedie, speaking at the WADA symposium at London`s Lord's Cricket Ground, said Monday. "If his report indicates transgressions of any kind, then there will be a precedent-setting opportunity to demonstrate our collective commitment to cleaning up sport," added the veteran British sports administrator, who reiterated WADA's support for the IAAF ban on Russia. "The world will be watching." Reedie said the fact anti-doping laboratories in Beijing, Bloemfontein, Lisbon, Madrid and Moscow had all had their WADA accreditation suspended was proof that the organisation had taken "decisive action" by hearing the "strength of the athlete's voice" in insisting labs maintain the "highest standards". This, said Reedie, was all part of "levelling the playing field for each and every athlete competing in Rio". Meanwhile Reedie repeated his calls for increased WADA funding from national governments and also suggested that, for the first time, broadcasters and media rights-holders might want to contribute to the budget. Reedie said WADA was "punching above its weight" on a budget of less than $30 million a year, which he noted was less than the annual income of Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, recently banned for a doping violation. Reedie added that 0.5 per cent of the worldwide sports television rights market would produce a WADA budget of $175 million and that it was in the rights-holders' interest to promote clean sport. Russian President Vladmir Putin has labelled the IAAF's ban on his country's athletes as "unjust and unfair". But IAAF president Sebastian Coe, who won Olympic 1500 metres gold and 800m silver for Great Britain at the 1980 Moscow Games, wrote in Britain's Sunday Telegraph: "We have not prevented clean athletes from Russia from competing, rather the Russian system has cataclysmically failed their clean athletes." (AFP)

World Anti-Doping Agency prepared to ban entire Russian team from Rio Olympics

President Vladimir Putin on Friday condemned as &quot;unfair&quot; the International Associations of Athletic Federations&#39; decision to extend a ban on the doping-tainted Russian athletics federation, saying he hoped a solution could be found to allow &quot;clean&quot; athletes to compete in the Olympic Games. 
 
&quot;Of course it&#39;s unfair,&quot; Putin said during a meeting with journalists. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m assuming that we&#39;ll have a discussion with our colleagues in the World Anti-Doping Agency and I hope a reaction from the International Olympic Committee,&quot; he said of a decision which will prevent Russian athletes from competing in the Rio Olympics in August. 
 
Putin was speaking after the IAAF Council voted unanimously in Vienna to extend a ban on the Russian athletics federation from international competition, but left the door ajar for some track and field stars to compete in the Rio Games as neutrals. 
 
&quot;Responsibility must always be individual and those who have no connection with these violations should not suffer,&quot; said the Russian president who, even before the announcement of the decision, had denied all allegations of &quot;organised stage doping&quot; by Russia. 
 
&quot;We ourselves are outraged when we&#39;re faced with doping problems, and we work to ensure that those guilty are punished. But the clean athletes, as they say, why should they suffer? I really don&#39;t understand,&quot; said Putin. 
 
&quot;I hope we find a solution, but that does not mean that we&#39;re going to be offended and say that we&#39;re not going to fight against doping. On the contrary, we&#39;re going to strengthen our fight against doping.&quot; 
 
The IAAF imposed the initial ban on Russia in November over state-sponsored doping and mass corruption, and first extended it in March on the grounds that the criteria set for reinclusion had not been met. 
 
Russia has over the past few months attempted to convince the IAAF that they are conforming to WADA requirements and deserve to return to the world athletics fold. 
 
In recent weeks, Russia has announced the introduction of new anti-doping measures, and recruited &quot;50 foreign specialists&quot; to tighten controls for athletes wishing to participate in the Olympics. 
 
&quot;For the past six months, samples of our athletes have been analysed by foreign specialists. And these samples were analysed in foreign laboratories. Should we not trust them?&quot; asked Putin. 
 
In a damning verdict, the IAAF said on Friday that the Russian federation was &quot;at least 18-24 months away from returning to full operational compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code&quot;. 
(AFP)

Ban continued because of country's state-sponsored doping and mass corruption; Russia will not be going to the Rio Olympics

President Vladimir Putin on Friday condemned as "unfair" the International Associations of Athletic Federations' decision to extend a ban on the doping-tainted Russian athletics federation, saying he hoped a solution could be found to allow "clean" athletes to compete in the Olympic Games. "Of course it's unfair," Putin said during a meeting with journalists. "I'm assuming that we'll have a discussion with our colleagues in the World Anti-Doping Agency and I hope a reaction from the International Olympic Committee," he said of a decision which will prevent Russian athletes from competing in the Rio Olympics in August. Putin was speaking after the IAAF Council voted unanimously in Vienna to extend a ban on the Russian athletics federation from international competition, but left the door ajar for some track and field stars to compete in the Rio Games as neutrals. "Responsibility must always be individual and those who have no connection with these violations should not suffer," said the Russian president who, even before the announcement of the decision, had denied all allegations of "organised stage doping" by Russia. "We ourselves are outraged when we're faced with doping problems, and we work to ensure that those guilty are punished. But the clean athletes, as they say, why should they suffer? I really don't understand," said Putin. "I hope we find a solution, but that does not mean that we're going to be offended and say that we're not going to fight against doping. On the contrary, we're going to strengthen our fight against doping." The IAAF imposed the initial ban on Russia in November over state-sponsored doping and mass corruption, and first extended it in March on the grounds that the criteria set for reinclusion had not been met. Russia has over the past few months attempted to convince the IAAF that they are conforming to WADA requirements and deserve to return to the world athletics fold. In recent weeks, Russia has announced the introduction of new anti-doping measures, and recruited "50 foreign specialists" to tighten controls for athletes wishing to participate in the Olympics. "For the past six months, samples of our athletes have been analysed by foreign specialists. And these samples were analysed in foreign laboratories. Should we not trust them?" asked Putin. In a damning verdict, the IAAF said on Friday that the Russian federation was "at least 18-24 months away from returning to full operational compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code". (AFP)

'Of course it's unfair': Putin says after IAAF extends ban on Russia's athletics federation

<div style="text-align: justify;">Rio de Janeiro&#39;s governor declared a state of financial emergency today&nbsp;and requested federal funds to help fulfill public&nbsp;service obligations&nbsp;during the Olympics that start August&nbsp;5. 
 
Emergency measures are needed to avoid &quot;a total collapse in public security, health, education, transport and environmental management,&quot; a decree in the state&#39;s Official Gazette said. 
 
The state&#39;s revenue, largely tied to the petroleum industry, slumped in the last two years as global oil prices collapsed. 
 
The announcement followed this week&#39;s visit to Rio by Brazil&#39;s Interim President Michel Temer, who said the federal government would ensure all obligations are met for a successful Games. 
 
Rio is expecting about 500,000 foreign visitors during the Olympics, which has coincided with Brazil&#39;s worst recession since the 1930s and a political crisis that last month led to the suspension of President Dilma Rousseff. 
 
&quot;The state&#39;s financial emergency in no way delays the delivery of Olympic projects and the promises assumed by the city of Rio,&quot; Mayor Eduardo Paes said on Twitter. 
 
He also underscored that legacy construction projects, with the exception of an 8.79 billion-real expansion of Rio&#39;s metro that is expected to be finished just days before the Games open, are the responsibility of the city and that most have been completed. 
 
The local organising committee for the Games said the state&#39;s fiscal situation did not impact its actual running of the Olympics, which relies entirely on private funds. 
 
While the majority of Olympic infrastructure costs have been spread across city, state and federal budgets, with some financing from private companies, the state is responsible for most day-to-day security and health services in Rio. 
 
The financial pinch resulted in a 30-per cent cut in the state&#39;s security budget - just as Rio has seen a jump in homicides and assaults in recent months, raising concerns about safety ahead of the Olympics. 
 
The state of Rio expects a budget deficit of over 19 billion reais ($5.56 billion) this year as spending planned before oil prices fell outstrips revenue that is tumbling during Brazil&#39;s recession. 
 
Rio state&#39;s debt has been downgraded several times. 
 
On Wednesday, Fitch Ratings downgraded Rio&#39;s debt rating to &#39;B-&#39; from &#39;B+&#39;, saying the state was suffering &quot;a fast-deteriorating liquidity position.&quot; 
 
Since late last year, the state has been forced to delay pension and salary payments and shutter some schools and hospitals, where crucial supplies, including medicines and syringes, are lacking. 
 
Brazil is also facing an outbreak of the Zika virus, which has been linked to the birth defect microcephaly in which babies are born with abnormally small heads frequently associated with developmental issues. 
(Reuters)</div>

Urgent measures are needed to avoid 'a total collapse in public security, health, education, transport and environmental management'

Rio de Janeiro's governor declared a state of financial emergency today and requested federal funds to help fulfill public service obligations during the Olympics that start August 5. Emergency measures are needed to avoid "a total collapse in public security, health, education, transport and environmental management," a decree in the state's Official Gazette said. The state's revenue, largely tied to the petroleum industry, slumped in the last two years as global oil prices collapsed. The announcement followed this week's visit to Rio by Brazil's Interim President Michel Temer, who said the federal government would ensure all obligations are met for a successful Games. Rio is expecting about 500,000 foreign visitors during the Olympics, which has coincided with Brazil's worst recession since the 1930s and a political crisis that last month led to the suspension of President Dilma Rousseff. "The state's financial emergency in no way delays the delivery of Olympic projects and the promises assumed by the city of Rio," Mayor Eduardo Paes said on Twitter. He also underscored that legacy construction projects, with the exception of an 8.79 billion-real expansion of Rio's metro that is expected to be finished just days before the Games open, are the responsibility of the city and that most have been completed. The local organising committee for the Games said the state's fiscal situation did not impact its actual running of the Olympics, which relies entirely on private funds. While the majority of Olympic infrastructure costs have been spread across city, state and federal budgets, with some financing from private companies, the state is responsible for most day-to-day security and health services in Rio. The financial pinch resulted in a 30-per cent cut in the state's security budget - just as Rio has seen a jump in homicides and assaults in recent months, raising concerns about safety ahead of the Olympics. The state of Rio expects a budget deficit of over 19 billion reais ($5.56 billion) this year as spending planned before oil prices fell outstrips revenue that is tumbling during Brazil's recession. Rio state's debt has been downgraded several times. On Wednesday, Fitch Ratings downgraded Rio's debt rating to 'B-' from 'B+', saying the state was suffering "a fast-deteriorating liquidity position." Since late last year, the state has been forced to delay pension and salary payments and shutter some schools and hospitals, where crucial supplies, including medicines and syringes, are lacking. Brazil is also facing an outbreak of the Zika virus, which has been linked to the birth defect microcephaly in which babies are born with abnormally small heads frequently associated with developmental issues. (Reuters)

Olympics to start in six weeks, and host city declares financial emergency

The threat of Zika at the Rio Olympics is on the mind of many athletes, but may be not more than&nbsp;China&#39;s former badminton world champion, Wang Yihan, who was attacked mercilessly by insects while competing in Indonesia last week. 
 
The svelte 28-year-old, who won silver in the women&#39;s singles at the London Games, was still smarting from red bites up and down her arms as she competed at the Australian Badminton Open in Sydney on Wednesday. 
 
&quot;They&#39;re itchy,&quot; she told Reuters, lathered in sweat after a tough opening round win over Scotland&#39;s Kirsty Gilmour at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre. 
 
&quot;And the sweat makes it worse.&quot; 
 
&quot;I&#39;m really not sure what kind of bugs they were. I don&#39;t think they were mosquitoes. Maybe it was on the bed that I was sleeping on. 
 
&quot;I bought some cream for them, but they&#39;re still itchy.&quot; 
 
A number of athletes have already pulled out of the Olympics citing health risks associated with the mosquito-borne virus, which can cause crippling birth defects and development problems in babies. 
 
Others are declining to bring family members and loved ones with them. Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford decided to freeze his sperm to safeguard future plans for extending his young family. 
 
However, the outbreak in Brazil will not stop China from unleashing its full artillery of badminton champions, who will attempt to defend their sweep of five titles at London. 
 
&quot;Yes, I think everyone&#39;s been thinking about (Zika),&quot; Wang said. &quot;But obviously we&#39;ve been told about how to be safe, wearing repellent and staying indoors and so on.&quot; 
 
Shanghai-born Wang is determined to go one better at Rio, having been upset in London&#39;s gold-medal decider by compatriot Li Xuerui, an unheralded player, before her Olympic triumph. 
 
Wang&#39;s anguish upon losing the final was written large on her face and she was still gloomy as she mounted the podium next to her beaming team mate. 
 
&quot;I did feel disappointed at the time, even though it was my team mate who won the gold,&quot; she said. 
 
&quot;Of course it&#39;s great to get any medal but in the end, there&#39;s only one champion.&quot; 
 
World badminton has changed the Olympic rules so that nations can only enter two shuttlers into the singles events, which will make it harder for China to repeat their London domination. 
 
Wang is currently ranked third in the world, ahead of fourth-ranked Li, with the top two spots occupied by Spain&#39;s world number one Carolina Marin and Thai Ratchanok Intanon. 
 
China&#39;s women have traditionally dominated the singles rankings, so the variety at the top has been welcomed by badminton fans and raised hope of a more open tournament at Rio. 
 
Wang said any number of players could win her event but felt Chongqing-born Li would be hard to beat and perhaps the biggest threat to her own gold ambitions. 
 
&quot;I think Li&#39;s game is really complete overall,&quot; she said. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ve both got our different strengths. 
 
&quot;There are other players like Ratchanok, Marin and (Indian player) Saina Nehwal who all have a chance but I think Li is still at a higher level.&quot;

Citing health risks associated with Zika virus, many athletes have pulled out of Olympics, while others are unwilling to bring family

The threat of Zika at the Rio Olympics is on the mind of many athletes, but may be not more than China's former badminton world champion, Wang Yihan, who was attacked mercilessly by insects while competing in Indonesia last week. The svelte 28-year-old, who won silver in the women's singles at the London Games, was still smarting from red bites up and down her arms as she competed at the Australian Badminton Open in Sydney on Wednesday. "They're itchy," she told Reuters, lathered in sweat after a tough opening round win over Scotland's Kirsty Gilmour at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre. "And the sweat makes it worse." "I'm really not sure what kind of bugs they were. I don't think they were mosquitoes. Maybe it was on the bed that I was sleeping on. "I bought some cream for them, but they're still itchy." A number of athletes have already pulled out of the Olympics citing health risks associated with the mosquito-borne virus, which can cause crippling birth defects and development problems in babies. Others are declining to bring family members and loved ones with them. Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford decided to freeze his sperm to safeguard future plans for extending his young family. However, the outbreak in Brazil will not stop China from unleashing its full artillery of badminton champions, who will attempt to defend their sweep of five titles at London. "Yes, I think everyone's been thinking about (Zika)," Wang said. "But obviously we've been told about how to be safe, wearing repellent and staying indoors and so on." Shanghai-born Wang is determined to go one better at Rio, having been upset in London's gold-medal decider by compatriot Li Xuerui, an unheralded player, before her Olympic triumph. Wang's anguish upon losing the final was written large on her face and she was still gloomy as she mounted the podium next to her beaming team mate. "I did feel disappointed at the time, even though it was my team mate who won the gold," she said. "Of course it's great to get any medal but in the end, there's only one champion." World badminton has changed the Olympic rules so that nations can only enter two shuttlers into the singles events, which will make it harder for China to repeat their London domination. Wang is currently ranked third in the world, ahead of fourth-ranked Li, with the top two spots occupied by Spain's world number one Carolina Marin and Thai Ratchanok Intanon. China's women have traditionally dominated the singles rankings, so the variety at the top has been welcomed by badminton fans and raised hope of a more open tournament at Rio. Wang said any number of players could win her event but felt Chongqing-born Li would be hard to beat and perhaps the biggest threat to her own gold ambitions. "I think Li's game is really complete overall," she said. "We've both got our different strengths. "There are other players like Ratchanok, Marin and (Indian player) Saina Nehwal who all have a chance but I think Li is still at a higher level."

Zika threat bugging Chinese shuttler Wang

The path to the Olympics is paved with potholes for many athletes but few can claim to have overcome hardship like &nbsp;Indian-origin wrestler Vinod Kumar, who was thrown off a speeding train by a rival&#39;s family in India before landing on his feet in Australia. 
 
Melbourne-based Kumar will compete for his adopted country in the 66 kg-class of Greco-Roman wrestling at the Rio de Janeiro Games, six years after landing Down Under, a colloquialism for Australia, with a suitcase in hand and a head full of troubled childhood memories. 
 
Winning the Olympic ticket was karma, according to Kumar, and a reward for forgiving the people who all but killed him when he was a teenager competing on India&#39;s wrestling circuit. 
 
&quot;Wrestling is big in India,&quot; the 31-year-old Kumar told Reuters in an interview at his Melbourne home. &quot;Fathers all want their sons to win... I forgave them because I believe in karma and I believe in God.&quot; 
 
Born in a small village near the Indian capital &nbsp;of New Delhi and raised in a family of wrestlers, Kumar competed at junior national tournaments across the country from a young age. 
 
In 2001, he boarded a long-haul train to an event in southern India with other young wrestlers but never arrived. 
 
BROKEN BONES 
 
As the train coursed through coastal forests in southern Indian state of &nbsp;Karnataka, Kumar was handed a spiked soft-drink and immediately felt dizzy after taking a mouthful. 
 
He went groggily to the carriage&#39;s doorway to get some air and two men, one the father of a rival wrestler, hurled him from the train before it sped into a tunnel. 
 
Bones were broken in his arms and legs as his body careened off the tracks to settle by a body of water. 
 
&quot;The train was going very fast. Maybe 100-130 kilometres (per hour/ 81 mph),&quot; the shaven-headed wrestler said in halting English. 
 
&quot;My clothes were all torn, like I was just wearing my underwear.&quot; 
 
Fifteen years later, Kumar lifts up his shirt and trouser leg to show deep scars along his chest and knee but can now chuckle about the absurdity of what happened. 
 
He was conscious and in searing pain, unable to move as mosquitoes bit him and flies buzzed around his wounds. 
 
Kumar believes he would have died if he had not been discovered by rail workers in the morning, putting him on another train bound for a hospital that could treat him. 
 
&quot;No one knew where I was for 15 days, everybody thought I was dead,&quot; he laughed. 
 
When he returned to his family, police arrested five of the men who were on the carriage. 
 
DIRT WRESTLER 
 
His family took legal action as Kumar lay bed-ridden for a year. One of his brothers refused a compensation payment from the rival wrestler&#39;s father. 
 
Kumar eventually returned to competition and although he appeared in court &quot;two or three times&quot;, the case dragged on for years and he told his family to drop the lawsuit. 
 
His forgiveness was not shared by his family, however, and caused a rift so deep that Kumar left home for good. 
 
He then spent years roaming the country, competing for cash prizes in towns and villages in conventional freestyle events and in &#39;pehlwani&#39;, India&#39;s traditional dirt wrestling. 
 
Australia promised a fresh start but it has been tough since landing in 2010 with little English and no skills. 
 
With no professional wrestling to speak of in Australia, Kumar has worked as a courier and a bouncer at nightclubs to earn money and says he owes friends up to $10,800. 
 
Both &nbsp;parents have died since he left India, his mother of a heart attack only two weeks before his interview with Reuters. 
 
&quot;Sometimes I&#39;m feeling very upset, thinking I am here and I have no money, nothing here,&quot; said Kumar, sitting on his bed with a clutch of medals hanging by the wall. 
 
&quot;I feel it&#39;s too hard here and I want to quit... Then I go to the club (to train) and have a better feeling.&quot; 
 
After earning his ticket to Rio in April at a qualifying tournament in Algeria, Kumar feels the grind has been worth it. 
 
Melbourne&#39;s prominent Indian community have rallied to his cause and he will head to Brazil hoping to become Australia&#39;s first wrestling medallist in more than 60 years. 
 
He said the rival wrestler&#39;s father who threw him from the train is dead and that the man&#39;s wife had hanged herself. Their son has not succeeded in wrestling. 
 
&quot;Now he&#39;s nothing and I&#39;m an Olympian,&quot; Kumar said. &quot;This is karma.&quot; 
 
&nbsp;

Vinod Kumar has endured broken bones, legal battles against his attackers and loss of family to finally achieve his dream of wrestling in the Olympics

The path to the Olympics is paved with potholes for many athletes but few can claim to have overcome hardship like Indian-origin wrestler Vinod Kumar, who was thrown off a speeding train by a rival's family in India before landing on his feet in Australia. Melbourne-based Kumar will compete for his adopted country in the 66 kg-class of Greco-Roman wrestling at the Rio de Janeiro Games, six years after landing Down Under, a colloquialism for Australia, with a suitcase in hand and a head full of troubled childhood memories. Winning the Olympic ticket was karma, according to Kumar, and a reward for forgiving the people who all but killed him when he was a teenager competing on India's wrestling circuit. "Wrestling is big in India," the 31-year-old Kumar told Reuters in an interview at his Melbourne home. "Fathers all want their sons to win... I forgave them because I believe in karma and I believe in God." Born in a small village near the Indian capital of New Delhi and raised in a family of wrestlers, Kumar competed at junior national tournaments across the country from a young age. In 2001, he boarded a long-haul train to an event in southern India with other young wrestlers but never arrived. BROKEN BONES As the train coursed through coastal forests in southern Indian state of Karnataka, Kumar was handed a spiked soft-drink and immediately felt dizzy after taking a mouthful. He went groggily to the carriage's doorway to get some air and two men, one the father of a rival wrestler, hurled him from the train before it sped into a tunnel. Bones were broken in his arms and legs as his body careened off the tracks to settle by a body of water. "The train was going very fast. Maybe 100-130 kilometres (per hour/ 81 mph)," the shaven-headed wrestler said in halting English. "My clothes were all torn, like I was just wearing my underwear." Fifteen years later, Kumar lifts up his shirt and trouser leg to show deep scars along his chest and knee but can now chuckle about the absurdity of what happened. He was conscious and in searing pain, unable to move as mosquitoes bit him and flies buzzed around his wounds. Kumar believes he would have died if he had not been discovered by rail workers in the morning, putting him on another train bound for a hospital that could treat him. "No one knew where I was for 15 days, everybody thought I was dead," he laughed. When he returned to his family, police arrested five of the men who were on the carriage. DIRT WRESTLER His family took legal action as Kumar lay bed-ridden for a year. One of his brothers refused a compensation payment from the rival wrestler's father. Kumar eventually returned to competition and although he appeared in court "two or three times", the case dragged on for years and he told his family to drop the lawsuit. His forgiveness was not shared by his family, however, and caused a rift so deep that Kumar left home for good. He then spent years roaming the country, competing for cash prizes in towns and villages in conventional freestyle events and in 'pehlwani', India's traditional dirt wrestling. Australia promised a fresh start but it has been tough since landing in 2010 with little English and no skills. With no professional wrestling to speak of in Australia, Kumar has worked as a courier and a bouncer at nightclubs to earn money and says he owes friends up to $10,800. Both parents have died since he left India, his mother of a heart attack only two weeks before his interview with Reuters. "Sometimes I'm feeling very upset, thinking I am here and I have no money, nothing here," said Kumar, sitting on his bed with a clutch of medals hanging by the wall. "I feel it's too hard here and I want to quit... Then I go to the club (to train) and have a better feeling." After earning his ticket to Rio in April at a qualifying tournament in Algeria, Kumar feels the grind has been worth it. Melbourne's prominent Indian community have rallied to his cause and he will head to Brazil hoping to become Australia's first wrestling medallist in more than 60 years. He said the rival wrestler's father who threw him from the train is dead and that the man's wife had hanged herself. Their son has not succeeded in wrestling. "Now he's nothing and I'm an Olympian," Kumar said. "This is karma."

Thrown out of a moving train, Indian-origin Australian wrestler gets back on track for Olympics

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