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Rio Paralympics faces crisis amid 'major budget cuts'

The Paralympic Games will go ahead next month but faces major budget cuts, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced just 19 days before the opening ceremony.

Here are the key developments:

  • Rio's organising committee has not raised enough money to fund the Games
  • Delayed travel grants mean 10 countries may struggle to get teams to Rio
  • The Deorodo Olympic Park will be closed and dismantled
  • Cuts will also be made to transport and the workforce
  • IPC President Sir Philip Craven said the Games had 'never faced circumstances like this'
  • Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson said Paralympians are being treated like 'second-class citizens'
  • The British Paralympic Association will take a full team to Rio
View all 5 updates ›

British Paralympic Association: Cuts to Games 'worrying'

The cuts to the Paralympics in Rio are "worrying" and pose a "major risk" to the legacy of the London 2012 Games, the British Paralympic Association has said.

The association will take a full team to Rio and said it will "strive to mitigate as much as possible any factors which could impact on their performance".

In a statement it said:

The news about the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games is worrying given the obviously constrained budgets and significant reductions in service levels for venues, transport, provision for the media and other stakeholders.

London 2012 proudly showed the world what was possible and we want Rio to be the next stage of that positive journey. The IPC's announcement makes clear that there is major risk to that.

We fully support the IPC in their work with the Rio 2016 organisers and are with them in meeting the challenge of driving forward the Paralympic Games and movement.

– British Paralympic Association
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Rio Paralympics faces crisis amid 'major budget cuts'

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