The president of the International Golf Federation cast doubt on holding a test event in Rio de Janeiro one year before the sport returns to the Olympics in 2016, citing delays in constructing the new course.
“We are not satisfied,” Peter Dawson said, according to Sky Sports. “I was down there just recently and, while the design of the course looks really good, the progress with the construction is not where we want it to be.
The course was originally scheduled to be completed this year, but last July architect Gil Hanse said it would not be ready to hold a tournament until 2015.
Dawson said there have been meetings in the last week in Rio to revise the construction plan and increase manpower “to bring the project back on track.”
“There have been so many revisions to the plan it’s quite hard to say how far behind they are, but I think we are going to struggle to get a test event a year before the Games,” Dawson said, according to the report. “I’m not writing that off completely, but we have to recognize that might be difficult. However, I still think it will be ready in time for the Olympics.”
Dawson’s comments came one week after the International Olympic Committee mentioned a “necessary sense of urgency” regarding progress in constructing Rio Olympic venues.
“There is no Plan B at present because I don’t think we’ll need one,” Dawson said.
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