Rio 2016 organisers admit only 12% of Paralympics tickets have been sold

Organisers of next month's Paralympic Games have so far only sold 12% of tickets.

"We sold about 12% of the tickets for the Paralympic Games. It is a concern," said Games spokesman Mario Andrada.

Organisers are also struggling to find the cash and pay grants to national Paralympic committees to help their athletes go to Rio and compete.

Many poorer nations depend on the grants to send athletes to the Games.

Andrada said he hopes the buzz from the Olympics will help sell more tickets.

He said: "However, we understand that the rhythm of sales for Olympic tickets has picked up dramatically and generally in the history of the Games the energy generated by the Olympic Games tends to help a lot in selling tickets for the Paralympics."

Brazil is currently locked in a political crisis while also experiencing the worst economic turmoil since the 1930s.

The Rio Olympics have long run out of cash, with a judge in Brazil blocking further payment from the state and leaving the Paralympics without much-needed funding.