Rio de Janeiro’s state government has announced that a scheduled US$20m refurbishment of Julio Delmare Aquatic Park, the proposed water polo venue for first-phase games at Rio 2016, has been scrapped due to being too costly.
Leonardo Espindola, chief of staff for the state government, confirmed the decision to the media after Rio 2016 organizers had failed to secure funding from a third-party consortium. Espindola explained that the state government did not have the money required to cover the revamp.
As a result, the water polo events affected may be relocated either to the Olympic Park, where diving and swimming events will take place, or to the Deodoro venue in northern Rio de Janeiro.
May 29, 2015
