Rio 2016: Australian team receive apology from Rio mayor
Kitty Chieller, Australia's chef de mission at Rio 2016
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes gave today (Jul. 27) the city key to Australia's Chef de Mission Kitty Chieller, as a way to ask for a formal apology for the problems in the Olympic Village. He also apologized for having said that he was "almost putting kangaroo" in front of their building.
Australia was the first delegation to identify problems in the village, on Sunday (24), and they refused to move to the apartments where they found exposed wiring, leaking pipes, and blocked toilets. When commenting the Australians refusal to move, the mayor said that putting the animal from the Australia's fauna there would please the athletes.
"It was not a moment for jokes, and it actually caused a misunderstanding," said Paes. "I'm offering a formal apology. I never wanted to make fun of Australia because of the kangaroo. I know this is one of the country's symbols. It's like an amulet."
Australia's chef de mission gave Paes a boxing kangaroo—a traditional symbol that has traveled with the Australian delegation to the Olympic Games since the 80s. In addition to the city key, Kitty Chieller received a plush toy of Vinícius, the Olympics mascot.
"I have always said that this is the best village I've been to in five Olympics," said Kitty, who considered normal the need for adjustments in a village for 20,000 people. "Thank you very much. We are very happy to be here," she said in Portuguese.
Australia's delegation already has 50 people at the village and 17 will move today to the apartments of Building 23, which is shared with smaller team delegations from the Oceania—with the exception of New Zealand.
Translated by Amarílis Anchieta
Fonte: Rio 2016: Australian team receive apology from Rio mayor
