Rio 2016 Golf Course Construction Given Green Light

The Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Rio 2016) has today confirmed that all necessary permits have now been issued in order to allow construction work to begin on the golf course for the 2016 Olympic Games as scheduled.

Work on the Gil Hanse-designed course in the Brazilian city has been delayed by a dispute over ownership of the site.

And while clearing work started a month ago, there it was only last weekend that approval was given to begin the actual construction of the 18-hole layout.

The head of Rio organising committee, site Carlos Nuzman, confirmed last month that the course would be ready for a test event in 2015.

Rio 2016 President Carlos Nuzman said: “We are very pleased to take another important step forward in the golf course project.  We will continue to work very closely with course designer Gil Hanse and the International Golf Federation to ensure we deliver an excellent course for the world’s finest golfers to enjoy at the 2016 Games.”

The sport of golf will re-enter the Olympic Games in 2016 after a 112 year absence. Following the Games the course will create an important legacy for the sport by becoming the first publicly accessible golf course in Rio de Janeiro.