(ATR) National Olympic Committees will not have to pay for their own air conditioning in the Olympic Village during the Rio 2016 Games.
The organizing committee confirmed to Around the Rings that while some services in the Olympic Village may be pared down to help save money for the tight budget, air conditioning will not be one. Earlier reports that the air con would be cut were based on premature information, a Rio spokesman tells ATR.
"Given that the 2016 Games are taking place in winter time in Rio, the requirement for air conditioning within the bedrooms of the Olympic Village was one of the decisions being carefully considered," a spokesperson from Rio 2016 said to ATR.
"Following the review process, it has been decided that air conditioning will be provided by Rio 2016 and this expenditure has been approved by the procurement committee."
The average temperature in Rio de Janeiro in the month of August is 74 degrees Fahrenheit although the average maximum daily temperature for the month is 84 degrees. Rio 2016 said the decision to not charge NOCs for air conditioning came down to "not wanting to compromise services that could affect competition."
In previous Olympic Games, villages contained televisions in every room, although in Rio de Janeiro they will be limited to common rooms on each floor, Other "unnoticeable back of house services," will be trimmed down, ATR is told.
Rio 2016 is currently working to fit everything in the $RS 7.6 billion budget generated from sponsorships, ticket sales, and funds from the IOC, as the current economic crisis in Brazil has shifted the costs of the Games. According to market calculations in September, the Brazilian real had lost close to 40 percent of its value in 2015, given the recession and sovereign credit downgrade hitting the country.
"We are currently going through the regular process of reviewing our expenditure, making sensible decisions and finding creative solutions to ensure we maintain a balanced budget while delivering unique and memorable Games in 2016," the spokesperson added.
In October, Rio 2016 media chief Mario Andrada said that the finance review was taking place to help prevent a ten percent overspend on the budget.
Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro
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