As recently as May, International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive director Gilbert Felli claimed construction work at the Deodoro Olympic Park, the second largest cluster of Rio 2016 Games venues, was running two years behind schedule.

But, speaking here today at the Host City: Bid to Win conference, Andrada insisted he is 110 per cent confident that everything will be in place when the Opening Ceremony is held on August 5 in 2016, claiming the venues are the least of their worries at this moment in time.

"The venues are a very important part of the project but at the same time, they're a part that's relatively easy to fix," said Andrada.

"We don't need to accelerate.

"We have all the venues on schedule.

"The Deodoro Complex has started late as everybody knows but we're catching up and again there's not a problem on the venue front.

"Olympics are far more than venues.

"You have overlay, you have legacy, you have funding, you have a lot of things.

"Everything is moving ahead as we expected.

"And in the life of a Committee, sometimes you're on schedule, next moment you're a little behind, and then you catch up, but it's nothing that keeps us awake at night.

"We own the whole project.

"Everything needs to be delivered but we're fine on venues."

Mario Andrada believes scepticism will inevitably continue to surround Rio 2016 despite his show of confidence ©Host City



Andrada's view was echoed by Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of the world's largest communications group WPP, who also spoke at the conference via a video link.

"I'd be 150 per cent certain that the facilities will be in place and I think from a physical point of view, an organisational point of view and an emotional point of view, it will be an absolutely magnificent Olympics," said Sir Martin, widely regarded as one of the world's most influential decision makers in the realms of business and marketing.

"I can't think of many, if any, cities in the world that will host that Olympic Games in 2016 in a better way.

"It will be absolutely magnificent and doubters should disappear I think."

Despite his positive outlook on the preparations for the Games, Andrada expects the widespread scepticism to remain.

"Good news is no news, frankly speaking," he said.

"There is no difference between the media and the public because they can post their comments on social networks, they can behave like journalists and they think like them most of the time.

"If everything is okay, they have to look for something that's not ok because that's news.

"Scepticism is a classic way to report ahead of events because ahead of events everyone wants to make sure everything is in place."

Work did not start on the Deodoro Olympic Park until July ©Rio 2016/Patricia da Matt



Andrada said local support for the Olympics has grown after Brazil successfully hosted the FIFA World Cup in the summer.

The world's most-watched sports event went ahead without any major hitches, following months of public criticism about partially-finished stadiums, labour strikes and threats of mass protests.

Before the World Cup less than half of all Brazilians had a favorable view of South America's first Olympics but Andrada said that has increased to 65 per cent since

"Before the World Cup, what we could see on the radar was a perfect storm," he said.

"Once this had passed, everybody became confident.

"It helped change the mood of the Brazilian people."

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