Brazil Pushes Back On Rio Woes, But What Does It Mean?

Though most of the world can barely stand to hear about Rio and its Olympic golf course woes, the attention from AFP's recent story has at least prompted a response from the Brazilian Golf Confederation.

Writing to GolfChannel.com, Brazilian Golf Confederation president Paulo Pacheco said the course is enjoying a “soft opening” and says “the maintenance of the course will continue at the same quality level.”

Rex Hoggard writing for GolfChannel.com:

Pacheco also said the Confederation has not requested any financial assistance to help maintain the course from the International Golf Federation or any other international agency.

The IGF has offered Pacheco and the Confederation support in the Olympic course’s transition to a public course, according to a statement released this week.

“As has been the case since the very beginning of this project, getting an accurate picture of the current situation on the ground and the best parties responsible for the short- and long-term success of the Olympic Golf Course has been difficult,” the IGF statement read. “The current economic and political situation in Rio has contributed to this difficulty.

“We have been disheartened by the recent reports regarding the status of the Olympic Golf Course and can only hope that the [Confederation], Rio 2016 and the city of Rio can work together to find both a short-term and long-term solution.”

But the crux of the initial AFP story--that the maintenance contractor is about to walk away due to unpaid bills--remains the most pressing issue and was not definitively answered by the latest response. Given the incredible job done by Progolf and Neil Cleverly to grow the course in and present it so ideally for the Games, this is a sad state of affairs.