Rio-NO! – Olympics sailing ramp COLLAPSES days before Games

Rio-NO! – Olympics sailing ramp COLLAPSES days before Games

RIO Olympics is facing serious questions over its safety after its sailing ramp collapsed during a high tide just days before the Games begin.

With the 2016 Olympics Games imminent, questions have been raised as to whether Brazil is ready to host the event. 

The country has been plagued by claims of poor quality infrastructure, as well as the widespread Zika virus, but the water sports are the latest to come under the spotlight. 

The main launch ramp at the Marina da Gloria spectacularly collapsed on Saturday after a massive wave surge during high tide. 

In a scramble to get the ramp fixed before the Games start on Friday, a 25-strong team have been drafted in to repair it. 

The International Olympic Committee has guaranteed it will be operational in time. 

Horrific photos emerged last week of dead bodies floating in the waterways, as well as a severed arm. 

Despite the shambolic scenes, the Australian sailing team leader, Peter Conde, said the problems would not affect the 11-strong troupe's training. 

Working towards topping their London Olympic medal tally of three gold and one silver, he said: "There are other launching options so this is not interfering with our training program.

"It will need to be repaired before racing starts on August 8th because large fleets will launch in a narrow window.

“Organisers claim that by working through the night they will have it repaired and operational by Friday 5th.

"The Brazilians seem particularly good at constructing these things quickly during overnight stints, so that is certainly credible.

"It also gives them a chance to address some usability issues in the original design and they have indicated they will do that."

The Marina da Gloria in Guananbara Bay is due to hold the windsurfing and sailing events. 

The nearby Copacaban beach will host the marathon swimming. 

But despite Mr Conde's optimism, the athletes face other challenges from the unsanitary waters in the city. 

Competitors have been warned to try and avoid opening their mouths to avoid ingesting the polluted and contaminated waters.

This comes on top of the mounds of rubbish bags strewn across the water, which a 12-strong fleet of boats called 'eco-barcos' have been tasked with collecting. 

Heath experts have warned the waters are more polluted than first thought, with Dr Daniel Becker warning swimmers will "literally be swimming in human crap".