Advertisement

  1. National

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 ›

Mark Colbourne: Cuts to Rio Paralympics 'disappointing'

Paralympic cycling champion Mark Colbourne has lamented the major cuts to the Rio Paralympic Games as "disappointing", as he expressed concern for the impact on the paralympic movement .

Speaking to ITV News, Colbourne, who retired in 2013 after winning a gold and two silvers at London 2012, said: "We're trying to promote the paralympic movement here, we're trying to up-skill and upscale what we do as athletes.

"To go to Rio and not have a 100% of the ticket sales sold out, not have the staff that we had in London, like the Games makers, who almost made the paralympics for us, would be very, very disappointing."

  1. Read more
  2. 5 updates
Rio Paralympics faces crisis amid 'major budget cuts'

More top news