Rio 2016 Poses Biggest Challenge says New IOC Vice-President Coates

New International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice-President John Coates has said the slow preparation progress of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is of critical concern.

Coates was elected as a Vice-President at the 125^th IOC Session in Buenos Aires and has immediately put the pressure on the next host of the Olympic Games.

The Australian said: “Our biggest challenge is Rio. There is a little over two years to go and there is still so much work to be done.

“We are all concerned. It is not impossible, but they desperately need a more concerted effort with some of the infrastructure projects and venues.”

Venue and infrastructure developments have been slow in Brazil and people took to the streets during the Confederation Cup this year to protest the amount of money being spent on major events such as the Olympics and the 2014 World Cup.

However, in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Coates said Rio would not lose the Olympics.

“No they can’t lose the Games,” he said

“You’re really, your hands are tied at this late stage. And you’ve just got to work with an organising committee and its underwriting government to get the right solutions.

The money is there in Brazil. It’s a wealthy economy. The plan is right.

“But there just doesn’t, or we haven’t seen yet too much or enough coordination between the three levels of government when it comes to the big construction projects.”