11 Sep 2013

IOC has increasing concerns about Rio's readiness for 2016 Olympics

2:53 pm on 11 September 2013

Increasing concerns about Rio de Janeiro's tardy progress in preparing to host the 2016 Games may have played a major part in Tokyo being awarded the 2020 Games, says newly elected IOC vice-president John Coates.

Tokyo won the bid ahead of Istanbul and Madrid.

Coates says it's only a matter of time before a Muslim country's awarded the Games but he believes fears about Rio's slow progress could have helped tip the scales in Tokyo's favour.

Coates says while all the bid cities had issues Tokyo was the best technical bid and best for the athletes with the venues closest to the village while there are also no financial problems.

He says Rio is further behind than the 2004 Athens Games, where budget overruns and construction delays prompted the IOC to warn organisers to get a move on.

Coates fears some venues in Rio may still not be finished in time and competitors may have to live outside the athletes' village because their venues are too far away.