Rio mayor reclaims pollution not a problem for Olympic sailing

Rio's mayor, Eduardo Paes, reclaimed on Thursday that the pollution would not be a problem for the Olympic sailing competition, though the government missed the opportunity to fulfill the bidding promise of cleaning 80 percent of the sewage in Guanabara Bay by 2016.

"The pollution is not a problem for the Games, because it will be held in a period of dry season, and we have held two sailing test event perfectly, "Paes said as he inaugurated the new marina for the Olympics.

Sailors have reported seeing furniture and floating animal carcasses in Guanabara Bay, the competition venue for Olympic sailing, which are also blighted by untreated sewage and trash.

"The pollution of the Bay is a problem not only for the city but also for the whole region that covers it. And it is up to the state government to take care of it," Paes said.

Rio's state government has said it will miss its target of reducing pollution in the bay by 80% ahead of the Olympics, which begin on August 5, 2016.

"When we won the bid, it's around 20 percent of sewage treatment. Currently the state government says it's going to reach 60 percent, and the goal is to reach 80 percent.

I think it missed the opportunity to reach the goal. But the good thing about bringing the Games is that all the pressure, all the tone make the authorities work. The pressure has to keep with us after the Olympics, because cleaning the Bay is not only for the Olympics, is about the metropolitan region of Rio."

The newly-renovated Marina da Gloria will be the starting point of Olympic sailing. The renovation began in December 2014 and ended two months later than the scheduled conclusion time with a cost of 70 million reais.

Marina da Gloria hosted two test-events for the Rio Olympics in August 2014 and a year later. The place will be delivered to the Organizing Committee on July 13. After the Games the place, with restaurants, shops and a belvedere overlooking the Sugar Loaf Mountain, is expected to become a sports, cultural and entertainment center.