FEATURE: Rio 2016 build-up enters final straight after bumpy 2015

Corruption, pollution, budget cuts, infrastructure project delays and recession.

These are just a few of the issues that Rio 2016 organizers are confronting as they enter the final straight in their preparations for the first Olympics in South America.

But it hasn't all been grim news for the local organizing committee.

Earlier this month, Rio 2016 president Carlos Nuzman said 80% of the city's Olympic projects were finished, drawing favorable comparisons to previous host cities.

Foremost among them is a major redevelopment of the historic port district, whose transformation is already clearly visible.

The latest structure to spring up in the area is the 60 million US-dollar Museum of Tomorrow, which attracted international acclaim for its sleek, environmentally friendly design when it was unveiled last week.

Xinhua looks at some of the key talking points of Rio de Janeiro's Olympic preparations in 2015.

VENUE CONSTRUCTION

Construction work has already been concluded at five new venues: Future Arena (for handball and goalball events), the canoe slalom course, the golf course, the BMX track and the mountain bike course.

Arguably the most noteworthy of the completed venues is the golf course, which drew criticism from environmentalists for being built next to a nature reserve.

Despite the threat of legal action to stop the project going ahead, the course has been finished on time and is ready for the official Olympic test event in March.

According to Nuzman there are no concerns about delays to venues, despite the slow progress of work at the velodrome and Youth Arena.

"The venues will be delivered without any problems," Nuzman told Globoesporte earlier this month.

POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC TURMOIL

A bribery scandal at state-run oil firm Petrobras has tipped Brazil into its biggest political crisis since the country's return to democracy 30 years ago. It has also coincided with - or perhaps been the cause of - a deepening recession as the local economy shrinks and inflation soars.

President Dilma Rousseff, who was chair of the Petrobras board when much of the corruption is alleged to have taken place - is facing calls for her impeachment amid a congressional gridlock that has compromised her ability to govern.

The scandal has spread its tentacles to Rio's Olympic preparations. Investigators last month said they were probing more than 10 billion US dollars of construction contracts for the Games.

Federal police chief Igor Romario said some major engineering companies ensnared in the Petrobras case "very probably" participated in a bribery scheme for Rio 2016 contracts.

BUDGET HEADACHES

As a consequence of Brazil's sputtering economy - and the resultant sharp devaluation of the currency - organizers have been forced to slash costs to avoid a budget blowout.

The Rio 2016 committee is seeking to prune over 500 million US dollars in costs to maintain its 1.9 billion-dollar operating budget.

A spending review of the organization in October called for cuts of up to 30% in some departments. Rio 2016 communications director Mario Andrada said the reduction would not affect the construction of permanent venues, security and power supply, which are part of another budget.

GUANABARA BAY POLLUTION

No topic has stirred more controversy for Olympic organizers and city officials than the water quality of Guanabara bay, which will host the sailing events.

Rio's local government earlier this year admitted it will not be able to deliver on a promise to treat 80% of raw sewage flowing into the bay, parts of which remain strewn with waste and rubbish.

Several athletes reportedly fell ill as a result of contaminated water at the Olympic sailing test event in August.

The water quality at the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon has also come under scrutiny after 13 US rowers suffered stomach sickness after a trial event at the venue, also in August.

Organizers have insisted the locations are safe for athletes, having passed tests ordered by the World Health Organization.

CITY REDEVELOPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE

Despite the encouraging progress of work on Olympic venues and the impressive Port redevelopment, some of the city's infrastructure projects are behind schedule.

The most pressing concern is the new subway line from Ipanema to the Games' major venue clusters in Barra da Tijuca.

Earlier this month Rio transport secretary Carlos Roberto Osorio said the project required around 250 million US dollars in extra funding to ensure it is ready in time for the Olympic opening ceremony on August 5.

Organizers have also been hit by last week's withdrawal of power solutions firm Aggreko from a delayed tender to provide temporary energy supply to venues.

Similar agreements for London 2012 were signed almost two years before the Games began.

SECURITY

Olympic security plans have not been directly affected by last month's attacks in Paris that killed 130 people, according to officials.

But the federal government has said it is liaising with international agencies to prevent any possible acts of terrorism.

Rio's state government plans to spend about 129 million US dollars on its Olympic security operation, which will include 65,000 police and troops with an additional 15,000 contingency force to be placed on standby.

About 40,000 agents were deployed for the London 2012 Games. Endit