Source: www.insidethegames.biz
By Duncan Mackay

June 7 - Nawal El Moutawakel will today lead the start of latest visit of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Coordination Commission visit to Rio de Janeiro to inspect how preparations are going for the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics.

During the three-day visit, the Commission will meet members of the Organising Committee and representatives from the Federal, State and City Governments, hold workshops and visit a number of the proposed sites.

The Commission, which also includes IOC Executive Director for the Olympic Games, Gilbert Felli, was greeted by Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes, who is confident that they will be happy with what they find in the city.

"Once again, we will show that things are going very well," he said.

"We are about a year in advance of the schedule imposed by the IOC.

"Our expectation is that, even with possible problems that may arise, we are on schedule.

"We have two BRT (bus rapid transport system) and subways running, work on the Olympic Village should begin by the end of the year."

The Commission, which also includes other high-profile IOC members Alex Gilady, Alexander Popov, Beatrice Allen, C K Wu, Gunilla Lindberg, John Coates, Sergey Bubka and Patrick Hickey, is currently visiting Rio once a year but will double its number of visits following London 2012.

"The visits helps the Government and Organising Committee to prepare properly for 2016," said Paes.

"We welcome them."

Contact the writer of this story at duncan.mackay@insidethegames.biz