Rio forced to close athletics stadium for 2016 Games after problem found with roof

Rio de Janeiro's preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games have been hit by the news that the athletics stadium has been closed indefinitely for emergency roof repairs.

The Joao Havelange stadium was only completed six years ago and is also currently the city's main football venue while the Maracana is rebuilt for this year's Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup.

"There is a risk, so I have decided to close the stadium immediately," said the Rio mayor, Eduardo Paes. "If it takes a month, then it will stay closed for a month; if it takes a year, it will stay closed for a year."

However, the International Olympic Committee says it still has absolute confidence in Rio's preparations.

Carlos Villanova, Rio 2016 Director of Communications, told Sky Sports News: "We are very confident that the Rio city government will take all the necessary steps to ensure the Olympic Stadium will be ready for the Games in three years.

"I understand that the problem concerns the roof of the stadium and city hall is establishing the facts with experts right now."

Armando Queiroga, president of the city government's public works department RioUrbe, later said he expects it to take at least two months to fix the problem.

"We've received a report about the stadium and it did not come with any solutions attached," he said.

"It's a serious problem and we can't forecast when it will open again. We need from 30 to 60 days to find the solution and after that we will have some perspective."

Brazilian journalist Pedro Redig added: "Because the city is close to the sea, the salt in the air corrodes the structures. The Maracana, which was built for the 1950 World Cup, was supposed to stay with a roof, but there were internal structural problems in the metal and it had to be taken off.

"But it is shocking to learn there are already problems after just six years (with this stadium)."