Disabled athletes face Rio shambles
Athletes are facing problems in Rio as organisers struggle to get the venues ready in time for the Paralympic Games.
Yesterday workers were rushing to prepare the accommodation for 4350 competitors, including Brits wheelchair racer David Weir and swimmer Ellie Simmonds.
The complex in the western Barra district of Rio has a number of holes in its roads, which could pose a threat to wheelchair users or the visually impaired.
In many parts of the village, uneven paths are f looded, making moving around dif f icult for the wheelchair users, who are preparing for the opening ceremony on Wednesday.
Yesterday, workmen were trying to make the village accessible, including cutting out a section of pavement to make a ramp.
One volunteer in the village said: “The place is full of danger, holes, wires, metal bars sticking up.
“Even for an able-bodied person they could cause problems , so imagine someone who can’t see or walk properly.
“And that’s just on the outside. They say the lifts are constantly breaking down.
“They say the athletes’ vi l lage was bui lt with disabled people in mind, so why are they trying to build ramps now?”
The village has already come under fire after it emerged some national Paralympic committees had to resort to “scrubbing and cleaning” dirty apartments last week.