Olympic BMX track too radical for riders

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Tuesday, October 06 2015 by SNTV

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese) Renato Rezende, Brazilian BMX rider:

"All the athletes attended the meeting and it was unanimous: nobody wanted to ride there. It was kind of a dirt bike track for a BMX race, those where guys like to do crazy tricks. It was really dangerous. We could race but we wondered who would actually be the first to risk doing it."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Mariana Pajon, London 2012 BMX gold medallist:

"It is a dangerous sport, it's an extreme sport. You have a lot of challenges. Big jumps, and you're going too fast. And you're just on a little bike. So you just have to take it. It's what we love about it. Adrenaline all over."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Gilbert Felli, Rio 2016 special advisor:

"Yes, it's ready. It's ready.... I mean.... the decision was taken by everybody the other day to race on the woman's race (track), to make sure that all the efforts and being compacted can be good for the race. And then, since there were very good, the Brazilians are very good to make changes a little bit, but to do the changes also for the men's (track). So, this morning, they have tested the men's (track), individually."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro:

"What we had is.... the track was completely approved by the federation (UCI - International Cycling Union), so it needs to have a better connection between the guys (riders) that are the athletes and the federation so things can be better. But anyway, we will do the changes that are necessary so things can move on."

SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese) Carlos Arthur Nuzman, Rio 2016 Organising Committee Chairman:

"I am skeptical about the technical delegate being considered weak, and that it hasn't met the various requirements. Whoever wanted to race, should have raced. Whoever chose not to race.... I think should look to be in another sport. This is a radical sport. That's why today the International Olympic Committee defends radical sports, sports that could mix with the youth. And the youth likes emotion. And I think it's very clear that emotion is a major factor of this sport."