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Rio 2016

Paralympics set to open in Rio despite austerity and scandals

Austere but as battling as ever, the Paralympics start in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday hoping that rivalry in competition can overshadow controversy off the track.

People jog next to the Paralympic symbol, displayed at Copacabana beach ahead of the 2016 Rio Paralympic games in Rio de Janeiro.
People jog next to the Paralympic symbol, displayed at Copacabana beach ahead of the 2016 Rio Paralympic games in Rio de Janeiro. Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
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Caught in political and economic crises, Rio 2016 organisers have skimped as far as they can on food, transport and accommodation.

Rio's problem is that it is following London 2012, hailed as the best Paralympics ever in terms of fervour and sporting performance.

To keep the Rio Games on track, city authorities had to promise 41 million euros in August while the government persuaded state companies to inject another 30 million euros in sponsorship.

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Philip Craven said that during the Rio Olympics he was sleeping two hours a night preparing to welcome the 4,300 para-athletes competing in 22 sports.

Resilient Paralympians

"The Games will happen, but they may not be -- I wouldn't say tip top, but maybe not as relatively luxurious as in the past," he said to AFP news agency. "Paralympians are resilient people, and the staff teams that back them up, and our Paralympic family will pull together."

The number of tickets reportedly sold has risen from 300,000 of the 2.4 million available on 20 August to 1.5 million on Monday.

The IPC banned all Russian athletes from the Rio Paralympics over allegations of state-run doping made by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren in his report for the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada). Russians are even excluded as neutral competitors.

Toughest test yet

With a host of para-athletes from other countries also suspended in recent months, Rio para-athletes can expect the toughest testing ever. And with canoe-kayak and triathlon taking the number of sports up to 22, Rio will be looking to produce new sporting heroes now that London 2012 sprint star Oscar Pistorius is in a South African prison for the killing of his girlfriend.

The 41 career gold medals won by blind American swimmer Trischa Zorn between 1980 and 2004 looks unbeatable but the Paralympics will inevitably produce new tales of courage.

The 28-year-old Rahman, disabled since birth, is aiming to become the first Paralympian to bench press 300kg. While China will have a record 308 athletes in Rio looking to beat their 95 gold medals from London when they topped the table for the third straight Paralympics.

They have swimmer Xu Qing competing in his fourth and possibly last Games, seeking to add to his seven gold medals.

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