Olympic sailing ramp collapses ahead of Rio de Janeiro games

Rio 2016: a boat ramp designed for sailing competitions at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro has collapsed just days ahead of the games' opening ceremony.

The partial collapse of the ramp on Saturday has been attributed to strong winds and a stormy sea by Philip Wilkinson, a spokesperson for the Rio 2016 organising committee.

The construction company behind the project has been contacted and is expected to make repairs before the games kick off on Friday, said Wilkinson.

The temporary ramp located in the Marina da Glória, the main sailing venue for the games, is the main access point for boats and sailors to Guanabara Bay and the sea around the Brazilian city.

No one was injured in the incident, which was reported by the Associated Press.

International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said "it would be wrong to make a great deal" of the ramp's collapse.

"In the run-up to the games, things happen," he added.

A pontoon for coaching boats is also said to have been damaged on Saturday, but Wilkinson claims access to an adjacent permanent ramp means training for the games will not be affected.

The incident follows the collapse of an elevated cycling path in April, which killed two people.

The 44.7 million reais (£10.5 million) seaside cycle path, shown in AECOM's masterplan for the Olympic Park, was intended to be a legacy project of the games but a 50-metre stretch of the route was severely damaged by waves.

The collapse of the sailing ramp and cycle path contribute to growing concern about the quality and safety of venues for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

More than half of the buildings set to house athletes during the Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro later this week are still not fully ready.

A delayed metro extension linking the Ipanema and Copacabana beach areas to the Olympic Park in Barra da Tijuca, is due to open today.

The line will ferry competing athletes, media and ticket holders between events, but will not be open to the general public during the games.

The Rio 2016 Olympic games begin this Friday, with sailing competitions starting on 8 August 2016.

Follow our coverage of the Rio 2016 Olympic games to find out the latest news about venues and events.