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Basketballer Andrew Bogut unleashes on Rio Olympic Village

Andrew Bogut is concerned about fitting into his Olympic Village bed - among other things.

Andrew Bogut is concerned about fitting into his Olympic Village bed - among other things.

Just when you thought the athletes were unpacked and happy in the Olympic Village, the smoke had cleared from the weekend’s fire and we could celebrate an outburst-free Kitty Chiller, Andrew Bogut decided to tell us what he really thinks about his accommodation.

The Australian team initially refused to move into its Village accommodations last weekend, citing shoddy conditions including blocked toilets and dangerous wiring.

No sooner had the athletes taken residence, but a fire broke out in some discarded rubbish in the basement, forcing an evacuation. Several personal items were reportedly stolen after the Aussies left their rooms.

Things had gone quiet for a while and there were fears we would be able to focus on Saturday’s Opening Ceremony and the upcoming events.

Then NBA star Bogut and the rest of the Australian basketball team arrived in Rio on Tuesday morning (AEST).

https://twitter.com/andrewbogut/status/760306520039026688

Bogut, who earned a reported $US12 million playing for NBA powerhouse the Golden State Warriors this season, announced he would use the hashtag #IOCLuxuryLodging in all his Twitter posts to ironically reflect his assessment of life in the Olympic Village.

As well as the lack of a shower curtain, Bogut was also concerned about a lack of room for his 213cm frame in the Village’s single beds.

https://twitter.com/andrewbogut/status/760312402294501377

And while clearly dissatisfied with having to rough it at the Village, Bogut was equally displeased by the thought of Australian officials supposedly living it up elsewhere.

https://twitter.com/andrewbogut/status/760314566098219008

And don’t get him started on Brazilian bathrooms.

https://twitter.com/andrewbogut/status/760199680168906752

Bogut, the No.1 overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, is still recuperating from a knee injury sustained in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the champion Cleveland Cavaliers.

He featured for nine minutes in Australia’s 82-53 warm-up win over China on Monday, finishing with three rebounds and an assist.

Joining Bogut in the Australian team in Rio are Cleveland’s Matthew Dellavedova, San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills, Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles and Detroit Pistons forward Aron Baynes.

The star-studded US men’s team, meanwhile, will reportedly be staying on a luxury cruise liner during its stay in Rio.

Silver-Cloud-IMO-8903923

The US basketball team will have a very different Olympic experience aboard the Silver Cloud. Photo: AAP

The general directorate of the Maua port terminal was reported saying that the men’s and women’s US basketball teams will live aboard the Silversea liner, The Silver Cloud.

Contaminated water too late to clean up

Rio’s problems don’t stop at the Olympic Village: athletes have been told to keep their mouths shut while competing in the contaminated waters.

Australian chef de mission Kitty Chiller brushed off the danger of raw sewerage for Australian sailors, open water swimmers, rowers and triathletes on Tuesday.

“They’re just getting on with it,” Chiller said.

“We ain’t going to change the water quality in the next week, so they’ll just get in and do their best.”

Pollution floats in Guanabara Bay, site of sailing events for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Pollution floats in Guanabara Bay, site of sailing events for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

“Our synchronised swimming team arrive tomorrow, so I’m going to send them down to give them some hints on keeping their mouths closed under water,” she joked.

Thirteen members of the US rowing team fell ill after the world junior championships in the same Rio waters in 2015.

A study by Associated Press found that ingesting just three teaspoons of the grimy water would almost definitely result in a number of viruses.

Australian athletes have been prescribed a litany of probiotics to try and prevent that happening.

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