Australia's Olympic delegation, which refused to move into its Rio apartments due to a spate of problems, has insisted the kangaroo at their lodgings is not a dig at the city's mayor.
After the delegation complained of blocked toilets and leaky pipes over the weekend, Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes, who has repeatedly found himself on the defensive over Olympic conditions, quipped he should perhaps put "a kangaroo in front of their building to make them feel at home".
The issues delayed the country's athletes from taking up lodging in the brand-new Olympic Village complex at its official opening Sunday.
On Tuesday, as the country's hockey team, archers, gymnasts and shooters finally moved in, they were greeted not only by a kangaroo, but an emu to boot.
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Olympic veteran hails controversial Rio village
Veteran hockey player Mark Knowles said the Rio village was one of the best he had seen and he should know.
The 32-year-old is competing at his fourth consecutive Games with Australia's men's hockey team, the Kookaburras.
-- Mark Knowles @knowlesy09
Thanks very much @AUSOlympicTeam for all ur hard work for us athletes. Welcome was great and village is 1 of best I've stayed in. #OneTeam 12:12 PM - 27 Jul 2016
[my bold as it was great to see after all the negativity, expected and justified at the time, yet .. yup, that comment was great to see!!!] --
Australia's delegation had taken issue with the poor state of the village, the 31-building complex located in the Barra da Tijuca district in the west of Rio de Janeiro designed to house more than 18,000 athletes and coaching staff over the coming weeks.
Rio's Olympic organizers said such teething problems plagued all Olympic Games and promised "adjustments" would be made to resolve the problems.
.. shucks, maybe shoulda stayed in Canada, eh, lol .. it looks our Matildas have a long way to go before they will find much success against the best ..
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
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