2016 Olympics: Rio venues 'will be ready'

Preparations for the Games came in for fierce criticism earlier this year but Paes told media on Thursday that construction is now firmly back on track.

"People said all the venues are not ready - they are not supposed to be ready now. They are supposed to be ready for the Games," said Paes.

"Fifty-five per cent of the venues are ready now or being adapted so I think we are doing pretty good."

Paes said criticism of preparations in the Deodoro zone, which will host equestrian events, rugby, shooting, fencing, canoe slalom, BMX and mountain bike cycling, had been justified and problems had been addressed.

"Deodoro was the main cause of criticism and the criticism was right. We were running late on tender. But it (construction) is on time now.

"When the criticism came hard we said 'you're right' and I can assure you now that we are going to deliver everything on time and we are not going to leave any white elephants behind.

"This is going to be the legacy Games. There is no Games city in the history of the Games that is going to be changed as much as Rio."

Paes said the potential for transformation in Rio was one of the main attractions of the bid to host the Games.

He explained: "Rio is a city with infrastructure problems and a lack of mobility. This is a great chance to change that.

"It was one of our main assets during the bid process. If the Olympics are about changing places, then come to Rio.

"Barcelona became something else as a city after its Games (in 1992) and I don't have any doubt that this will also be a legacy Games."

Paes said that in 2011 only 18 per cent of Rio's population was served by high capacity transportation and that by 2016 that figure would have risen to 63 per cent.

He added: "These are not things that are only going to be used for the Olympic Games - it is going to change the everyday lives of our people."