150 Australian athletes to miss Rio opening ceremony due to nightmare logistics and tight schedules

AS few as one in three Australian Olympic athletes will march behind golden girl Anna Meares at next month’s Rio opening ceremony.

Anna Meares will lead Australian athletes at the opening ceremony. Picture: Tim Carrafa

AS few as one in three Australian Olympic athletes will march behind golden girl Anna Meares at next month’s Rio opening ceremony.

Nightmare logistics and tight competition schedules are largely behind the planned massive no-show.

Chef de mission Kitty Chiller confirmed around 150 of Australia’s 410-strong contingent would march around the famous Maracana soccer stadium on August 5.

And as security fears around the Olympics heighten, Chiller revealed female athletes would not be allowed outside the games village unless accompanied by a male.

In any circumstance, a group of three athletes would be the minimum touring party.

UNDERBELLY: what Olympic officials don’t want you to see

BOOMERS TEAM: Bogut in charge of Olympic destiny

OUR OLYMPIC TEAM: every athlete as they’re named!

Australia’s security chief Greg Nance, an Australian Federal Police representative and a team doctor will brief every athlete when they arrive in Rio.

Anna Meares will lead Australian athletes at the opening ceremony. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Rio’s crime-riddled favelas are off limits, and Chiller said athletes moving outside the village would travel in groups which should always include a male.

“We have reinforced the guidelines that now it’s a group of three, there always has to be a male, you always make sure your team manager or team leader knows where you are,” she said.

“And it’s comply, comply, comply (with criminals in the case of a robbery), hand over whatever you have.

“The favelas are still absolutely a no-go zone. Previously we were to only brief team leaders but now we will have face-to-face contact with every athlete as they arrive (at satellite accommodation) in Copa as well as the village.

“Greg Nance and an AFP representative and a doctor will brief them to reinforce the security message.”

Chiller said an extra 3000 police would hit Rio streets on Friday, with a security force of more than 100,000 mobilised to protect athletes and their families.

The Herald Sun last week revealed NBA star Patrick Mills would hire his own bodyguards to protect his family.

Rio’s favela are strictly off limits to Australian athletes. Picture: iStock

Chiller told the Herald Sun that athletes would have to sign up to potential nine-hour commitment to attend the Maracana opening ceremony.

The athletes village in Barra is about 30km from the stadium and best-case travel time is about one hour either way.

Many of Australia’s athletes — including swimmers, basketballers and hockey players — will not march as they compete on the first day of the games.

About 120 athletes including sailors, rowers and beach volleyballers will stay outside the village in a Copacabana apartment block and will not travel in for the ceremony.

Australian team bosses plan to stage an informal march and ceremony at the Olympic village for the majority of athletes staying behind.

“We are still going through that process — it’s not going to be 410 (marching),’’ Chiller said.

“I think indications at the moment are maybe mid-100s. There are so many athletes starting (competition) in the early days and we have a lot of athletes based at Copa as well so for them they would have to come into the village first.

“Everyone is used to a really Big Australian team coming in but we will have an alternate ceremony in the village which will actually be bigger than the real ceremony.

“We will do something special in the village. The athletes will get dressed up, we will march around the village and do something there and Channel Seven are giving us the live feed.

“We will make sure it’s a special event for them.”

In the past Australian coaches, officials and media staffers were able to march to boost numbers but Rio organisers have banned that practice.

The final Australian team will be announced on Thursday morning, although another 20 track-and-field athletes are still trying to qualify for Rio.

Originally published as 150 Australian athletes to miss Rio opening ceremony due to nightmare logistics and tight schedules