Olympics may shine but plenty to lament in recession-hit Rio

A child plays in water near Olympic rings placed at Madureira Park ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 17, 2016. REUTERS/Bruno Kelly

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Across a busy street from the Maracanم stadium, host of two World Cup finals and next month the stage for the opening of the first-ever Olympics in South America, squats the massive concrete complex of the State University of Rio de Janeiro.

But the university, a pioneer in offering scholarships for low-income and minority students, has not enjoyed the same government largesse as the emblematic stadium, recipient since 2010 of more than 1.2 billion reais (£280 million) in state funds for World Cup and Olympic remodeling.