Main ramp collapses at Rio Olympics sailing venue

The main ramp of Marina da Gloria, the sailing venue of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, partially collapsed on Saturday. Organizers said no one was injured in the incident that raises further questions about the quality of construction in the Olympic host city.

Philip Wilkinson, a spokesman for the Rio 2016 organizing committee, placed the blame on high tides and a stormy sea. The collapsed structure, which is temporary, is the main access point for boats to reach the water.

Wilkinson also said the construction company responsible for the project has been contacted and is expected to make the repairs within four days. Sailing competitions begin Aug. 8.

Training will not be affected as the boats can use the permanent ramp to the side of the damaged structure, the Rio 2016's spokesman said.

International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams "it would be wrong to make a great deal" of the Marina da Gloria incident. "In the run-up to the games, things happen", Adams said.

World Sailing said in a statement that it is following closely the efforts to fix the ramp. Spokesman Malcolm Page said that a coach boat pontoon was also damaged on Saturday.

In another incident caused by strong winds in Rio, water inundated TV studios on Copacabana Beach near the volleyball arena. Iron boards were used to contain the waves.

Rio's construction standards have been under heavy criticism since April, when a new elevated bike path that was heralded as a top legacy project of the Rio Olympics collapsed, killing two people.

On Saturday a much-delayed subway extension was inaugurated. It will open on Aug. 1 to link the Ipanema and Copacabana beach areas to the western suburb of Barra da Tijuca, site of the Olympic Park. The line will be available only to event ticket holders, athletes and media covering the games.

No 'Pokemon Go' for athletes arriving in Rio

So the plumbing and electricity in the athletes' village took several days to fix. Who cares?

But no "Pokemon Go"? That's an outrage!

If there were ever a more "First World problem" for the Zika-plagued, water-polluted Rio Olympics, it's Brazil's lack of access to the hit mobile game, which has united players the world over.

Since debuting to wild adulation in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand this month, the game from Google spinoff Niantic Inc. has spread like wildfire, launching in more than 30 countries or territories — but not Brazil.

For athletes and other visitors caught up in the wave, not having access is just one more knock against an Olympics that officials are racing to get ready. The opening ceremony takes place next Friday.

"I wish I could run around in the (athletes') village catching Pokemon," New Zealand soccer player Anna Green said Friday. "I just can't get it on the phone. It's fine, but it would have been something fun to do."

What will she do instead? "Train," she replied.

Niantic didn't reply to a request for comment on when the game might be released in Brazil. And though social media rumors point to a Sunday release for the game, similar rumors in Japan resulted in heightened expectations and the sense of delay before its debut there last week.

This week, British canoer Joe Clarke tweeted — with a broken-hearted sad face — a screenshot of his player on a deserted map near the rugby, equestrian and modern pentathlon venues in Rio's Deodoro neighborhood. The map was devoid of PokeStops — fictional supply caches linked to real-world landmarks. No Pokemon monsters to catch either: There was nary a Starmie nor a Clefairy to be found.

"Sorry guys no (hash)pokemon in the Olympic Village," tweeted French canoer Matthieu Peche, followed by three crying-face emoji. Getting equal billing in his Twitter stream was a snapshot of a letter of encouragement from French President Francois Hollande.

Players with the app already downloaded elsewhere appear to be able to see a digital map of their surroundings when they visit Rio. But without PokeStops or Pokemon, the game isn't much fun. It would be like getting on a football field — soccer to Americans — but not having a ball to kick or goals to defend.

Many competitors in the athletes' village took it in stride, though. Canadian field hockey player Matthew Sarmento said it would give him more time to meet other athletes. But he would have welcomed Pokemon during downtime in competition, adding that "sometimes it's good to take your mind off the important things and let yourself chill."

Athletes might not get Pokemon, but they'll have access to 450,000 condoms, or three times as many as the London Olympics. Of those, 100,000 are female condoms. Officials deny that it's a response to the Zika virus, which has been linked to miscarriages and birth defects in babies born to women who have been infected.

In Pokemon countries like the U.S., PokeStops are being used to attract living, breathing customers. In San Francisco, for example, dozens of bars, restaurants and coffee shops have set up lures that attract rare Pokemon, along with potential new patrons looking to catch them.

That's presumably one reason why Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes — plagued by a host of bad news from player robberies to faulty plumbing — urged Niantic investor Nintendo to release the game in Brazil.

"Everybody is coming here. You should also come!" Paes wrote in Portuguese on his Facebook page , adding the hashtag (hash)PokemonGoNoBrasil — "Pokemon Go" in Brazil.

His post generated responses such as this: "The aquatic Pokemon died with superbugs."

Paes didn't respond to requests for interviews.

One video circulating virally, with more than 3.5 million views, shows one fan identifying himself as Joel Vieira questioning how Brazil can host the Olympics but not Pokemon.

"I can't play! I am not allowed to know how it really feels to see the little animals on my cell phone," he said on the video . "Because we don't have it in Brazil, yet. But we are having the Olympics."

The Olympics kick off next Friday. Will Pikachu be there to witness it? The world is watching with baited Poke-breath.

Australia's Penny Taylor to retire from WNBA

Australian star Penny Taylor is calling it a career.

The 35-year-old told The Associated Press that she would retire from playing basketball at the end of the WNBA season. She helped lead the Phoenix Mercury to three WNBA titles and guided Australia to a world championship in 2006.

"My focus is on the Olympics, but definitely it's my last year," Taylor said. "Worked really hard to get back and still be good. I want to go out on a good note. My health is something I really had to work hard at, and to be fit and stay out on the floor, I've done that really well. For me, it's the right time."

Taylor was able to avoid injuries early in a playing career that started when she was 15. Lately, her body has been breaking down a bit, starting with a torn ACL that forced her to miss the 2012 Olympics and 15 months of playing time. This season she's been dealing with hip issues that caused her to miss the final few games of the WNBA season before the Olympic break.

"There is a time when you have to retire. I want to retire when I'm still good," she said Friday night. "I nearly had it all taken away from me. I want to make that decision and still want to be wanted. I still feel like I'm still contributing out there."

The one thing missing from Taylor's impressive basketball resume is an Olympic gold medal. She was the MVP of the 2006 world championship in Brazil.

"When you talk about the Mount Rushmore of basketball, if you had one for the world, she'd probably be the first person on there," Mercury teammate Diana Taurasi said. "She's just done so much for Australian basketball, leading them to a world championship, putting them in a position every year to win a medal. She holds that close to her heart."

Taurasi also was quick to point out that Taylor was a trailblazer for other Australians to be able to play in Europe and make a living. Taylor played in Turkey and Russia.

"She opened so many doors for everyone in that country to go to Europe," Taurasi said. "She made it OK to leave Australia when no one left to play overseas. What she did in the WNBA, if there's a five you pick to go win a game, there's no one I pick over Penny."

Taylor was selected 11th in the 2001 WNBA draft by the Cleveland Rockers. When that team folded in 2003, she was picked up by the Mercury and helped them win titles in 2007, 2009 and 2014.

"We're the last two from our class," said Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever, who was drafted third in 2001 and also will retire at the end of this season. "We've had some really good battles. When I think of Penny, I think of Game 5 of the 2009 WNBA championship, how clutch she was."

Taylor has averaged 13.3 points in her 13-year WNBA career.

"Penny is one of those players that at times gets overlooked," Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm said. "It might be the whole Australian playing in the WNBA at times. I don't know why she wasn't in the top 20. Look at Penny's career and I think it's a no-brainer for her to be on that team. What makes her game so difficult is her ability to score and put pressure on your defense at all times."

Taylor helped Australia win silver medals in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and would love to see that stage of her career end with a gold in Rio. She hopes to enter the coaching ranks after the WNBA season ends.

"I've gotten to the point where I'm seeing it more as a coach these days," Taylor said. "It's the natural progression over the last few years anyway. Playing for Sandy (Brondello), I really admire her and the way she sees the game. I'd like to continue learning from her."

Taylor smiled when asked if she would like to be on the sideline for Australia at the 2018 world championship in Spain or the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

"Who knows, that's so far away," she said. "I'd like to coach. I enjoy it. I love the game, love seeing it played well."