AP: Land Dispute Threatens Rio Olympic Golf Course Site

AP's Tales Azzoni reports that a land dispute thought to be one of the reasons for the delay in the architecture competition decision, is heating up over the Rio Olympic golf course site.

The matter is in the hands of Brazil's Higher Court of Justice. The lawyer from the company disputing the ownership, Elmway Participacoes, says that next week he will ask for the suspension of the city's contracts with the other company that claimed to own the property before it came under the control of the city.

Elmway has won a court battle that was later reversed, but company lawyer Sergio Antunes Lima Jr. says there is "more than enough" evidence available to prove the area belongs to his client.

He said he doesn't know whether his client would want to negotiate with the city if the land ownership eventually goes his way.

"My client can do whatever he wants with the land, I don't think it ever crossed his mind to build a golf course there," Lima Jr. said. "Maybe he will want to negotiate with the city, but we don't know yet."
Elmway Participacoes has been trying to claim ownership of the land for the past three years. The other alleged owner, entrepreneur Pasquale Mauro, has several properties in the region and has won many similar disputes.