The capital of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, is unable to meet its commitments to clean up coastal waters. The authorities of the Brazilian city have openly admitted that they may not have time to rid the bay of Guanarabara of sewage, the Associated Press reports.
It turned out to be uneasy to bring the waters in compliance with the IOC requirements.
The Brazilian minister of environment requested additional financing in the amount of $70 mln to increase the chances for water purification. Analysts suppose that even the additional infusion will not allow to purify the water in less than two years.
It is not yet clear how exactly the situation will affect the sailing competitions. According to experts, polluted water can be harmful to the health of athletes (great risk of infection of athletes with E. coli, hepatitis, and even cholera). In addition, waste in the water can complicate the racing of yachts.
