Aussies moving into Rio Olympic village _ a few days late

Posted July 26, 2016 7:00 am

By STEPHEN WADE

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Two days after describing the housing at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics as "dangerous," Australian athletes and staff started moving into the massive athletes' village compound on Tuesday.

Australia team spokesman Mike Tancred says up to 60 delegation members - evenly split between athletes and staff - were checking in.

Australians declined to enter their rooms on Sunday after "stress tests" caused water to gush down walls and ceilings in the buildings. They also complained of electrical shorts and gas leaks.

Rio organizers said Tuesday that 21 of 31 buildings were ready, occupied by 600 athletes and 1,800 staff from 120 countries. Organizers say all the buildings should be ready Thursday, barely a week before the games open.

The village will accommodate about 18,000 athletes and staff.

A general of the main dinning room at the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, July 23, 2016. The brand new complex of residential towers are where nearly 11,000 athletes and some 6,000 coaches and other handlers will sleep, eat and train during the upcoming games, that will kickoff on Aug. 5(AP Photo/Leo Correa) The Associated Press

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