2016 Summer Games: Rio rescinds Olympic riding, tennis venue contracts

Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro has rescinded contracts for construction of this year`s Olympic equestrian and tennis facilities, saying the work under way was slow and incomplete.

With only six months until the August 5 opening ceremony at South America`s first Olympic Games, the mayor`s office also said it was imposing a 10.16 million real ($2.4 million) fine on the constructor Ibeg.

"The rescinding of the (equestrian center)contract is due to non-compliance or incomplete compliance with contractual clauses and deadlines," city hall said in a statement Thursday.

A similar decision was announced a week ago concerning the tennis center, which was contracted to a consortium also including Ibeg.

Rio`s urbanization authority insisted that both sites will be ready for the games and "are in an advanced stage of completion," with no extra costs expected due to the change in contracts.

The tennis center, with capacity for just under 20,000 spectators, was due to be handed over in late 2015, but is still only 90 percent complete, according to the mayor`s office. The riding center, with a capacity of 35,200, was also due for completion in 2015.

Ibeg said it was "absolutely mystified by the unilateral breaking of the contract" and said it would take legal action.