Rio 2016 Concerns Answered for Hockey Chief

Ahead of critical meetings in Rio next week, the International Hockey Federation’s CEO tells Around the Rings he is satisfied that 2016 Games organizers are answering his concerns.

At a joint meeting of the IOC and ASOIF in Antalya during SportAccord, Kelly Fairweather was one of 17 federation leaders who expressed grave concerns about Rio 2016’s delay-plagued preparations at the Deodoro Olympic Park. He said the IOC should consider contingency plans if there were no major advances.

He believes the frustrations vented by federations and the IOC at the meeting were a wake-up call for Rio 2016 and the Brazilian government, telling ATR that there are now improved efforts to meet the FIH’s needs.

"In our discussions, we can see the effects because things are moving," he said.

"I think everyone understands the urgency… there is only one thing to do, to find solutions. We all know that date in 2016 when we have an Olympic Games to deliver."

He added: "What it has done is everyone has focused their minds. We have just got to roll up our sleeves and get cracking. We have literally not a day to lose."

Fairweather said the Rio visit by Olympic Games executive director Gilbert Felli, the IOC’s troubleshooter for the Games, had helped spur momentum.

He said the FIH was in regular contact with IOC sports director Kit McConnell and almost daily contact with Rio’s sports director Agberto Guimaraes, who is in Lausanne this week for meetings with the IFs and IOC.

But Fairweather described the FIH delegation’s visit to Rio on Monday as "critical."

"We want final designs and timelines [for construction]," he said, noting that the tender to build the main hockey competition venue and a training facility would be awarded in June.

"We are pushing forward. The aim is for construction to start in September."

FIH officials also hope to hear positive news about transport connections to the Deodoro Olympic Park and on accommodations.

At SportAccord, the eight IFs who are staging sports at the Deodoro zone had agreed to a proposal to visit Rio as a group, to help them better work through the issues facing Rio 2016 at the Olympic site.

Fairweather said that time pressure on all the federations’ workload had led to the visit being put on hold for the time being.

"That’s not going to happen. But everyone is being encouraged to get there [as individual federations] as soon as possible," he added.

Written by Mark Bisson

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.