Paralympics Open in Rio Amid Low Ticket Sales, Muted Expectations
RIO DE JANEIRO - Disabled athletes from 174 nations will converge on Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracana Stadium for the 2016 Paralympic games on Wednesday amid serious concerns that poor ticket sales and a lack of support from the Brazilian population.
Vano Tsiklauri (archery), Zviad Gogochuri (judo), Lia Chachibaia (swimming), Irma Khetsuriani (fencing) and Akaki Jincharadze (powerlifting) will represent Georgia at the games – the 15th Paralympic event held since their debut following the 1960 Rome Olympics.
This year’s games have been marred by a series of factors that have left organizers scrambling.
Poor planning, a failing local economy that now finds itself in a deep recession, growing concerns about the Zika virus and a general lack of interest from Cariocas derailed the International Paralympic Committee’s hopes for future games.
Riding high from the record-setting London games in 2012, the organizers of this year’s event were hoping to capitalize on the newfound global interest in the Paralympics.
By Nicholas Waller