One-year countdown to 2016 Olympics held in Rio

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Rio de Janeiro began holding equestrian test events Thursday ahead of the 2016 Olympics despite concerns over an outbreak of the deadly, highly contagious horse disease glanders at nearby stables.

“Politicians can’t pass bills, can’t get along, but we can all root for the U.S. Olympic team”, Miller said.

Nuzman said Bach made “a huge sacrifice” by flying to Rio after his busy trip in Malaysia to be at the one-year celebration, also due to be attended by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff later.

Carlos Nuzman, president of the Rio Olympic organizing committee, illustrating the scope of the world’s biggest sporting event, said there will be 206 countries represented and 10,500 athletes competing in 42 sports over 17 days.

Paes said that the IOC boss was worn out after flying from Malaysia – and had also been enjoying Brazil’s notoriously powerful national cocktail. They say it’s a tough sport that should be recognized.

“We want to show that we are capable of doing things on time, that Brazil is not a country where everything ends up over budget, everything ends up late”, said Paes, speaking over occasional bursts of construction racket at the Arena Carioca 3, which according to the presentation is 98 per cent completed.

“There will be a bequest to develop in america a world that in fact products can be done on time”, he was quoted saying, work Brazil “a region exactly where it is all totally retarded, all these beyond its budget”.

“Most actual human beings watch the Olympics because they provide more than just competition”, Miller said. There are 56 projects needed specifically for the games themselves, such as the construction of the Olympic Village, stadiums, and other venues.

Bach said athletes’ health was the priority for the committee and that all guidelines were being followed.

Rio promised to reduce pollution by 80% in the bay as part of the Olympic bid to transform the city, but the municipal government has already admitted this target will not be met.

But Paes, a flamboyant politician said to have presidential ambitions, went beyond municipal matters, stating that a good Olympics will show the world a new Brazil.

“There is not a single person that is not enthusiastic about these games because they saw how well we did and what we delivered in London”, Winter said, “and the enthusiasm of a live games”.

“Who knows if climate change will let us do that?”