24.07.2016 - 19:01
The Australian team will not move into the Olympic Village for next month’s Rio Games because of problems including “blocked toilets, leaking pipes and exposed wiring”, delegation head Kitty Chiller has said.
Chiller, who said she would reassess the situation later, said she had raised concerns on a daily basis with the organisers and the International Olympic Committee, and was “pushing hard for a solution”.
“Last night [Saturday], we decided to do a ‘stress test’ where taps and toilets were simultaneously turned on in apartments on several floors to see if the system could cope once the athletes are in-house,” Chiller said.
“The system failed. Water came down walls, there was a strong smell of gas in some apartments and there was ‘shorting’ in the electrical wiring.”
Chiller said the British and New Zealand Olympic teams were experiencing similar problems with their accommodation.
Extra maintenance staff and more than 1,000 cleaners have been engaged to fix the problems and clean the Village, Chiller said, but the faults, particularly the plumbing issues, have not been resolved.
Australia had been due to move into the Village on July 21 but have instead been living in nearby hotels.
Chiller said Australian team staff are continuing to set up as best they can for the arrival of athletes and that for those coming in the next three days alternative accommodation had been arranged.
