2016 Rio Olympics, Budget Cuts Take Out Air Conditioning Momentarily

Budget cuts in Rio de Janeiro, the site of the 2016 Summer Olympics, have been something of an ongoing issue. Money is tight, and some "fat" needs to be trimmed. You know, the things that aren't necessary--like air conditioning for the athletes. That is, until the committee decided it was necessary. Air conditioning is now back in.

To confirm: Yes, it's always hot in Brazil. Even in the winter--which it will be when Rio de Janeiro hosts the 2016 Olympic games--temperatures can sore to the mid 90's. It's why having air conditioning for athletes in one of the biggest sporting spectacles on earth shouldn't be an issue, and why the winter jacket in Brazil comes in the form of a speedo.

According to ESPN, Mario Andrada, spokesman for the Rio Games, said that organizers have found up to 2 billion reals ($520 million) that needed to be cut as part of balancing the operating budget of 7.4 billion reals ($1.9 billion). When asked specifically about the need for air conditioning, Andrada had this to say:

"We don't think it's going to be critical [to have air conditioning] there."

Rio Olympic organizers are being hit by something of an economic crisis. Local currency has plummeted against the dollar, and inflation is up 10 percent. There's also a corruption scandal that has set off impeachment proceedings against Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. Pair that with trying to organize an Olympic games, and things get difficult--even painful.

"[The cutting' hasn't been painful so far," Andrada said, via ESPN. "It will be painful from now on because we need to finish the process."

And while things will certainly be tough, it does appear as though there will be air conditioning for the athletes after all.

"The sports department found a solution that could allow us to have the air conditioning," said Andrada, via NBC Sports. "So we are buying air conditioning for all the athletes' bedrooms and social rooms."