Allgemein » headed Fabinhos corner off a post in the 24th

BELEK, Turkey -- The head of Olympic summer sports federations called for urgent action Tuesday to tackle the critical delays facing the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and accused the Brazilian government of neglecting the crisis. In an interview with The Associated Press, Francesco Ricci Bitti said Rios troubled preparations are reaching a stage where some sports may need to consider "Plan B" options for their venues. "Its getting very serious," the Italian said. "We have an organizing committee with good people but without the leverage to cope with the problem. ... We are scared. This is not a country like China where you can ask people to work by night. In Brazil, this could not happen. The government has to change speed." Ricci Bitti heads the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, which represents the 28 sports in the Rio Games. He also leads the International Tennis Federation and serves on the IOC co-ordination commission for Rio, which made its latest visit to Brazil two weeks ago. "We can be flexible in the infrastructure but surely not in the sports venues, and we are at risk at sports venues," Ricci Bitti said. "Even for the ones that dont consider themselves at risk, we dont see a sense of urgency." The timetables are so tight that backup plans may need to be considered by some sports, he said. "We have to sit down and to start looking at some Plan Bs," Ricci Bitti said. Rios problems dominated discussions at the ASOIF general assembly, which took place during the SportAccord convention in this Mediterranean resort in southern Turkey. Rio will also top the agenda for meetings of the International Olympic Committee executive board, which meets here Wednesday and Thursday. "We need to act now because if we wait another six months, as it could be looking at the inactivity of the government, I think it will become very serious," Ricci Bitti said. "The organizing committee is doing its best, but the government is not supporting enough." Brazil is also struggling with delays ahead of hosting the World Cup this summer. With the country focusing on the World Cup, Ricci Bitti said, the Olympic preparations risk falling further behind. "We cant always hope in the fact that in the end we will solve the problem," he said. "This time we have the style and the habits of the South Americans. They are not used to managing big events like this. The Olympics is a very different problem from the World Cup. The World Cup in the end is one stadium, one hotel, in many cities. Rio has a lot of problems." Rio organizing committee chief Carlos Nuzman and CEO Sidney Levy were meeting in Brasilia on Tuesday with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseffs chief of staff to discuss the Olympics. It was left to Rios executive sports director, Agberto Guimaraes, to report to the federations in Turkey. "I still think we can pull this thing together and can have great games," he told the delegates. "The moment I dont I will (give) my resignation. I still believe we can do it. Please help me get through this alive and well." Christophe Dubi, the IOCs deputy executive director for the Olympic Games, said the IOC would be sending special task forces to Rio to monitor the situation. The first group will consist of construction experts, he said. "We have to have special measures in place," he said. Dubi noted that Gilbert Felli, the IOCs long-time executive director, has been assigned to work with Rio after he steps down from his post later this year. The meetings in Turkey come amid a daily drumbeat of troubles in Brazil. On Monday, striking construction workers and security personnel clashed at Rios Olympic Park. Random gunshots were fired but no injuries were reported. Workers also went on strike Monday at the Olympic stadium that will be used for track and field at the games. The venue has been closed since last year to fix problems with the roof. Guimaraes said the repair work would completed by December. The greatest concerns centre on the Deodoro complex, an area that is to host venues for eight sports. Work has yet to begin on the site. In addition, work on the Olympic golf course is far behind schedule, raising concerns for the sports return to the games after more than a century. Guimaraes said grass would begin to be laid on the course later this month and the venue would be ready by September 2015. Cheap Reds Jerseys . 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Gustafsson controlled the first round after getting top position on a throw, and came out much more forcefully in the second, buckling Manuwa with a Muay Thai knee, and finishing him off with strikes on the ground.MONTREAL -- Young fullback Karl Ouimettes first Major League Soccer goal was the stuff of dreams. The 21-year-old headed in the game winner in the 84th minute to cap a comeback 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday afternoon that put the Montreal Impact a big step closer to making the playoffs. The Impact academy product from Repentigny, Que., said he lay in bed the night before the game visualizing how he should play in various situations and what it would feel like to get a goal. It came true on Justin Mapps free kick after a foul by the Unions Raymon Gaddis. Mapp curled a ball into the penalty area where three Impact players were open. Ouimette was the one to nod it home. "It felt magical," said Ouimette, who was awarded with a post game face full of shaving cream by his teammates. "There are no words. I put it in and everyone was jumping on me." The win put Montreal (14-12-7) solidly into playoff position heading into their final regular season game next Saturday in Toronto, although final positions among the top five in the Eastern Conference are still to be determined. The Union (12-11-10), who began the day in a fourth-place tie with Montreal and Chicago, saw their post-season hopes all-but dashed. "This was a playoff game without the playoffs," said Philadelphia coach John Hackworth. "Both of us had to win. We did a good job in the first half, but we couldnt finish it off." The victory lifted a great weight off a Montreal side that had gone winless in six games and that was shut out in the last three. They looked headed for more disappointment when midfielder Fabinho put the visitors ahead in the 29th minute, but veteran Marco Di Vaio scored his 20th goal of the season in the 64th minute to tie the game before Ouimette had the Saputo Stadium crowd on its feet with the game-winner. "Its not finished yet, but given our last string of games and a lot of disappointment, to come out on top in the last home game of the regular season feels good," said Mapp. "Every team Ive been on has had stretches like this, but unfortunately, it came at the end of the season when were trying to lock up a playoff spot. "Its a big three points here, but weve got onee other huge game, so its not over yet.ddddddddddddquot; After a flat first half, the Impact played with an intensity they havent shown in more than a month. They used their legs. They won one-on-one battles. They got to balls first. Coach Marco Schallibaum took veterans Patrice Bernier and Davy Arnaud out and sent in Andrew Wenger and Andrea Pisanu to add fresh legs and the pressure increased. "We came out much different in the second half," said Wenger. "There was desperation. "We dug ourselves out." Before he was substituted, Arnaud fed Di Vaio in the penalty area and saw the MLS scoring leader spin and beat goalie Zac MacMath. It ended the Impacts 337-minute scoring drought dating to a Maxim Tissot goal in a 2-2 tie in Chicago on Sept. 28. And it made Di Vaio only the 11th in MLS history to score 20 in a season. "It gave us 30 seconds to breath," Wenger said of the goal. "But a tie wouldnt do it for us today. "Thankfully, we kept fighting." Conor Casey nearly got one for the Union as he headed Fabinhos corner off a post in the 24th minute. Then Philadelphias two Brazilians combined as Jose Kleberson sent a pass to a charging Fabinho, who caught Hassoun Camara looking as he blasted a high shot in from a bad angle in the 29th. The only disappointment for Montreal was to see veteran defender Alessandro Nesta hobble off the field in the closing minutes with a right calf injury. Before the game, the former Italy international was presented with a painting and given a standing ovation to mark his final home game. The 37-year-old former AC Milan great, a four-time UEFA all-star, will retire after this season. He hopes to be back in time to play at least one game. "My calf, in the last five minutes I felt something," he said. "If I can play, for sure Im going to be on the field. "It was a beautiful day. Thank you everybody for the big experience. I love this city. I dont know. Maybe in the future well meet again." Notes: Arnaud and Matteo Ferrari returned from one-game suspensions. Ouimette played left back in place of Job Brovsky (ankle). . . One of the Unions top midfielders, Michael Farfan, sat out due to yellow card accumulation. ' ' '