through a press release, said that Conmebol respected the decision | Forum

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Australias Olympic team leader is keeping the delegations 700 athletes or staff out of the Athletes Village for at least two days, citing electrical and plumbing problems in the sprawling complex less than two weeks before the start of the games in Rio de Janeiro. Rasheed Wallace Jersey .Electricity and water is not a good combination, Kitty Chiller told reporters Sunday, when the village was set to be officially opened for athletes.Chiller said this was her fifth Olympics, and she came down hard on village preparations.I have never experienced a village in this state -- or lack of state -- of readiness at this point in time, she said.The 31-building village is expected to house 18,000 athletes and officials at the height of the games. It was not clear how many athletes were housed in the village on Sunday.This is the latest problem for the games, which have been hit by concern about the Zika virus, security threats, water pollution and severe budget cuts.Chiller and Australian team spokesman Mike Tancred described a wide array of plumbing, electrical and cleaning issues at the Village. Tancred said 10 of the 31 buildings were determined to be inhabitable.Were having plumbing problems, weve got leaking pipes, Tancred told AP. Weve got electrical problems. Weve got cleaning problems. Weve got lighting problems in some of the stairwells. We did a stress test on Saturday, turned on the taps and flushed the toilets, and water came flooding down the walls.Chiller listed the same problems, and added more.There was a strong smell of gas in some apartments and there was `shorting in the electrical wiring, she said. We have been living in nearby hotels because the village is simply not safe or ready.Chiller said six Australian athletes due to arrive Monday and 50 on Tuesday would temporarily stay in hotels or other accommodation. She said she hopes they can move into the village quickly, and sounded encouraged.I am reasonably confident that we will be able enter the village on Wednesday, she said.She described other amenities in the village as among the best.This is one of the most beautiful villages Ive ever been in, she said. It looks spectacular. There are just teething issues in some of the service inside the building.Several teams are hiring tradesmen to fix the problems, and some may look for compensation from organizers.Italian team leader Carlo Mornati said his national Olympic committee, CONI, had been hiring workmen to carry out repairs for days.Among these unfinished areas are also a few apartments in block 20, the one to be used by Italy, and where manual workers, electricians, plumbers and bricklayers -- hired by CONI officials there as a matter of urgency -- have been working over the past few days so that the athletes accommodation can be brought up to normal conditions as soon as possible, he said in a statement.The U.S. Olympic Committee acknowledged there were small problems.As is the case with every games, were working with the local organizers to address minor issues and make sure the village is ready for Team USA athletes, spokesman Patrick Sandusky told the AP.The International Olympic Committee and local organizers held emergency talks Sunday and said athletes with unfinished rooms would be placed in the best available accommodation in other buildings, estimating that fixing the problems will take another few days.Local reports said about 5 percent of the 3,600 apartments had gas, water and electrical faults, and some were without toilet fixtures.Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes took a shot at the Australians at the opening on Sunday.This is an incredible village, more beautiful and better than Sydney, he said, referring to the 2000 Olympics in Australia. He said he was tempted to put a kangaroo jumping outside to make them happy.The village contains tennis courts, soccer fields, seven swimming pools with mountains and the sea as a backdrop.The apartments are to be sold after the Olympics with some prices reaching $700,000. The development cost about $1.5 billion, built by Brazilian billionaire Carlos Carvalho.New Zealand team leader Rob Waddell said he was disappointed the village wasnt quite ready and it hasnt been easy.Our team has had to get stuck in to get the job done, Waddell said. Its been fair to say there has been more work than we anticipated with the building ... but weve got it to a space now that it will be just fine for athletes when they turn up.New Zealands Olympic rowing champion Mahe Drysdale, who said he was the first athlete from any country to enter the village, added facilities were in need of a few finishing touches.Already taken ownership of the Village being the very first athlete from any country to arrive and get through the gates, Drysdale said on Instagram. All is good.Few finishing touches still to be made but when you arrive at 5am on opening day, you cant expect it to be perfect.---AP Sports Writer Steve McMorran contributed from Wellington, New Zealand.---Stephen Wade on Twitter: http://twitter.com/StephenWadeAP .His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/stephen-wade Garrison Mathews Jersey . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate. Washington Wizards Pro Shop . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. https:///...-jersey-wizards.html . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. MEXICO CITY -- Mexican teams will not play in Copa Libertadores, at least in 2017, because the tournament*s new schedule makes it nearly impossible, league President Enrique Bonilla said Friday.Last month, Conmebol changed its calendar to play the tournament between February and November, instead of the first half of the year like it the past. The Mexican teams, invited to play in the championship since 1998, have several conflicts because the new dates create a conflict with the CONCACAF Champions league among others.Bonilla said that he had several meetings with Conmebol President Alejandro Dominguez and asked for a new schedule but was unsuccessful. After that, both held several meetings trying to make it work, eventually the Mexican side withdreew from the tournament. Elvin Hayes Jersey. Bonilla said that Mexico hopes to return to Copa Libertadores in 2018.We want to come back, but playing like this will be to take a step back, it*s too much of a burden for our teams, Bonilla said. If we work together we might get something solid for 2018.Dominguez, through a press release, said that Conmebol respected the decision and said that the doors are open for Mexico.We worked very hard with our Mexican colleagues, and we understand that 2017 will be a transition year. The doors are still open and when Mr. Bonilla gives us a new proposal we will take a look at it, Dominguez said. ' ' '