'One of the most beautiful Olympic villages ever': Rio Games chief praises development which will house 18,000 athletes and officials this summer
- IOC president Thomas Bach unveiled the athletes' village for Rio Games
- Village will be the largest in history, hosting more than 18,000 competitors
- Athletes will arrive on July 24 ahead of the August 5-21 Olympics
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- June 16th, 2016
The Rio Games athletes' village has been unveiled with the largest village in Olympic history praised as the 'most beautiful' yet.
Despite construction being plagued by financial and organisational problems, the village was unveiled on Wednesday, and is now ready to host more than 18,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, officials, staff and volunteers in 31 buildings and more than 3600 apartments.
The $835 million complex's huge size has made it the largest in the Olympic's long history with the first athletes expected to arrive on July 24 ahead of the August 5-21 Rio Games.
The athletes' village in Rio will be the biggest in Olympic history and will include more than 3600 apartments
The athletes' village complex will house more than 18,000 athletes, staff and volunteers
With the countdown to the Olympics down to just 50 days, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach praised the complex, saying: 'It’s one of the most beautiful Olympic villages I have ever seen.
'It is the heart of the Games and it’s from here that the Olympic message will be spread to Brazil and the world.
'Athletes will be taking part in the most difficult competitions of their lives and, at the same time, will live together in peace and with respect for the entire world.'
But the 2016 Games have been plagued with problems, including concerns that locals were being pushed out of the area to make way for the huge village.
Two people were killed when a cycle lane built for the 2016 Olympics collapsed after being hit by a wave earlier this year.
Concerns of an outbreak of Zika were also aired last month when a group of 150 scientists suggested the Olympics be postponed or moved because of the outbreak of Zika, which has been linked to severe birth defects.
The preparation for the Rio Olympics has been plagued with problems with the athletes' village (pictured above during construction in February) opened in June
The village (pictured in April) has been labelled as the 'most beautiful' in OIympic historyl
But the suggestions were played down by the World Health Organisation, who stated there was 'no public health justification' for scrapping the games.
The village, which was built with funds provided by the private sector, is based in the Olympic Park at Barra da Tijuca where most of the events will take place.
Those staying in the complex will be fed by a team of 2500 people, working around the clock to provide meals to the hungry thousands.
The mini-city will also be equipped with video games, musical instruments, beauticians, psychologists, a multi-faith religious centre, swimming pools and tennis courts.
The site will be transformed into a residential complex in 2017 with the apartments to be sold to private investors.
The International Olympic Committee has previously revealed that about 450,000 condoms will be distributed during the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, three times more than for the London Games four years ago.
The village will host over 18,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes - the largest in the history of the Games
IOC President Thomas Bach (right) says the village is 'one of the most beautiful I have ever seen'
A general view of an apartment block where athletes will be housed during the Games
The bathroom in one of the completed apartments, which will be transformed into a residential complex in 2017
The first athletes are expected to arrive at the village on July 24 ahead of the August 5-21 Olympics
The village also features video games, a multi-faith religious centre, swimming pools and tennis courts
Rio mayor Eduardo Paes (right) confirmed the site will be transformed into a residential complex in 2017
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