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Diplomat incident avoided: Aussies get rooms at Rio Olympics

Related Topics: Eduardo Paes

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A near-diplomatic incident — as Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes termed it — came to an end on Wednesday at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The Australian delegation gave the mayor a tiny "boxing kangaroo" doll, and now says it's happy with its rooms at Rio's Olympic Athletes Village.

The 700-member delegation refused to check in three days earlier because of water and gas leaks, electrical shorts, malfunctioning toilets and general filth.

In a meeting at the village, Paes apologized and acknowledged Australia's "was the worst building." He gave delegation head Kitty Chiller the keys to the city, and a doll representing the official mascot Vinicius.