Australia’s troubles in Olympic Games athletes’ village continue

Australian team spokesman Mike Tancred said about 100 athletes and officials were evacuated from their building in the sprawling athletes’ village.

She addressed the thefts at a press conference Sunday in Rio and described them as ” ‘concerning, ‘ but added ‘unfortunately theft is going to be inevitable, ‘ in a compound with 31 buildings and up to 18,000 athletes and staff”, according to The Associated Press.

This comes after a tension-filled week in which Australia refused to occupy its building, citing gas and plumbing leaks, electrical shorts, and general filth.

The computers and shirts were stolen while rooms were vacant during a fire in the basement of the Australian building at the athletes’ village on Friday.

Asked about safety implications, at a time of heightened concern about potential terror attacks, Chiller said nobody felt unsafe but all team members had been reminded to keep doors locked and valuables secure.

The local organizing committee has an operating budget of 7.4 billion Brazilian reals ($2.3 billion), to cover the games themselves and the cost of building roads and sports venues.

A team of 10 refugees athletes, set to march behind the white Olympic flag when the games open on Friday, have spoken about what they hope to achieve in Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro’s mayor Eduardo Paes, left, hands the City’s Key to Australia’s delegation head Kitty Chiller during a ceremony at the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, July 27, 2016.

Bach says a total ban on Russian Federation “would not be justifiable” on either moral or legal grounds “because every human being is entitled to certain rights of natural justice”.

Misenga, who hopes one day to afford to buy airplane tickets so his family can visit Brazil, said being on the refugee team means he’s representing something bigger than his native country or national flag. “They are waiting for us in the airport, they are so happy to see us”, he said.

“I’ve helped people win many medals at the Olympics so I was very happy to help”, he said. He still talks of competing for his country of birth – maybe at the next Olympics. “When I remember things I become sad”, she said. He did not give details.

Misenga began to cry on Saturday as he told his story, which provided a rare upbeat moment in the hard run-up to South America’s first games.