RIO DE JANEIRO: Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday launched the 100-day countdown to hosting South America’s first Olympic Games with government and global sports leaders insisting they can overcome Brazil’s political meltdown and troubled preparations.

Countdown events were held around the world and Rio organisers were to take the Olympic flame in Athens for the start of its long journey, involving some 12,000 torchbearers, through Latin America’s biggest country to the Maracana stadium in Rio.

New Zealand athletes staged a sunrise traditional haka dance on an Auckland beach to mark the day. Britain unveiled its Olympic uniform designed by Stella McCartney.

Despite the insistence of the Brazilian government and International Olympic Committee that the Games will be ready, storm clouds are gathering.

President Dilma Rousseff appears likely to be suspended from office through impeachment in the next few weeks. Even her vice president, Michel Temer, who would normally take over — and whom she accuses of mounting a coup — could face action.

The economy is in deep decline for the second straight year, unemployment has shot up to 10.2 per cent and Olympic organisers have had to slash budgets.

Rio de Janeiro mayor said on Wednesday the unfinished cycling arena is the biggest issue facing the Olympics.

The velodrome is only 85 per cent ready and workers need another 30 to 40 days to finish the structure, meaning there will not be time for a proper test event before the games begin on Aug 5.

“The biggest problem, the biggest challenge and the job that gave us most problems and missed the deadline was the velodrome,” Mayor Eduardo Paes told reporters in Rio.

“The track is practically done. We have 30 to 40 more days of intense work but we are on schedule.”

Rio’s original plan was to use the velodrome built for the 2007 Pan American Games but that was scuppered after officials said the venue did not meet Olympic standards.

The old one was dismantled for rebuilding in the centre of Brazil and a brand new one erected in Rio’s Olympic Park, the main cluster of venues.

Paes, who declared the park open on April 12, said it was 98 per cent complete with the tennis centre needing last-minute work. The main courts are ready but temporary seating still needs to be installed, he said.

Brazil’s Sports Minister Ricardo Leyser, meanwhile, insisted that the political crisis will have no impact on the event.

“From the point of view of preparing the Games, the crisis has no effect at all,” Leyser said in an interview declaring himself “at ease” with the remaining duties.

“The main expenses have been met and now we are starting to deal with thousands of smaller issues. Our planning and execution plan was truly very good.”

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Rio 2016 Organising Committee chairman Carlos Nuzman attended the handing over of the Olympic flame in Athens.

During the Aug. 5-21 Games, Nuzman said, Brazilians would come together in celebration.

“Our mission, dear friends, is bigger than Brazil itself. We represent all the peoples of South America,” he told a crowd of several thousand Athenians.

The flame will make a short stopover in Switzerland before arriving in Brazil’s capital Brasilia on May 3.

Torchbearers will then carry the flame through Brazilian towns and cities ahead of the opening of the Games at the Maracana football stadium.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2016