Gäste Forum » step up in competition against Shhafikov, who has bee

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Olympic athletes have been competing in near empty venues and before thin crowds in other locations during the opening days of the Rio Games -- a problem that can be traced to long security lines, traffic and a lack of familiarity in some sports.Rugby and equestrian venues have been devoid of fans, and a Brazil volleyball match on famed Copacabana Beach had lots of empty seats Sunday. Scattered seats were open early during the basketball game Saturday night between China and star-studded Team USA, usually one of the biggest draws of the Olympics.Rio organizers said long lines at airport-style security checkpoints prevented fans from getting into events. The line for the beach volleyball venue stretched down the Copacabana promenade to the Olympic rings display several blocks away, though the venue has not been full for any of the matches.Organizing committee spokesman Mario Andrada the problem was being addressed, and hes hopeful that lines would move quicker as the Summer Games entered its first full week.We believe that most of the issues ... have been solved, Andrada said Sunday. That doesnt mean we rest ... Security overall remains our main priority, and were going to keep an eye on it.There were long lines at bus stops on Saturday, the first full day of the Games. Lines at concessions stands were slow at the Deodoro venue, where events like rugby and shooting are being held, in large part because workers were stuck on security lines to get in the grounds.But I must emphasize, even when we have some empty seats in the some stadiums, we never had a low atmosphere, Andrada said.Crowds were loud and enthusiastic for fencing. Swimming made a splash, as usual. The stands were nearly full with cheering fans when the U.S. womens gymnastics team took the floor for preliminaries on Sunday.Boxing and rugby didnt fill the stands, though those who were there were vocal. Brazilian fans led soccer-style chants at the U.S.-China basketball that brought a lively atmosphere at times to the blowout.Im a bit bummed to be honest, because especially these women have worked really hard to get here, said Nikki Diggs, a fan from California who watched Sundays rugby match between the United States and Australia. The Olympics mark the first time womens rugby has been in the games.Its their first Olympics so its a bit of a bummer but I think a lot of people were scared off and they shouldnt have been because everything has been really great, Diggs said.Any problems with security lines seemed to have dissipated at the main Olympic Park venue by Sunday afternoon.We literally got out of a cab, walked in. Breezed right in, said fan Rochelle Taylor of Detroit. She and her friend waited in a security line for an hour on Saturday.Security isnt necessarily the only reason that could be keeping people from their seats. Logistical issues can often slow things down early in an Olympics.Traffic has been a problem, so much so that Mayor Eduardo Paes has pleaded with locals to share car rides until Aug. 21.Andrada said about 82 percent of the 5 million tickets for the Olympics were sold as of Sunday. About 75 percent attendees are Brazilian.Hoping to boost slow sales, organizers in mid-July opened up their local ticket website to the rest of the world, meaning that fans outside Brazil could buy tickets at local rates.As for Brazilian fans, theyre getting exposed to sports other than their beloved soccer and volleyball.Sometimes we spot that they dont know exactly how to behave in some sports because theyve become fans of (soccer) for many years, Andrada said. And one of the legacies of these games is to break the mold of either volleyball or football, for people to assess different sports.---AP Sports Writers Jimmy Golen and John Pye contributed to this story.---Online:AP Summer Games website: http://summergames.ap.org/Adidas Nmd Womens Clearance . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. Yeezy Boost 350 China Wholesale . The news was first reported on Gonzalezs Twitter account and confirmed by the Rockies. Gonzalez has a six-week window before position players have their first workout at spring training in Arizona. http://www.nmdsneakerssale.com/yeezy-boost-350-deals.html . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery. Adidas Springblade China . The Vikings announced Thursday that Priefer will be one of seven holdovers from the previous staff, along with offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach George Stewart and others. Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. Discount Adidas Nmd r1 . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night.This Saturday, unbeaten lightweight contender and 2012 U.S. Olympian Jamel Semper Fi Herring (15-0, 8 KOs) will take on former title challenger Denis Shafikov (36-2-1, 19 KOs) in a 10-round bout live on ESPN (9 p.m. ET) as part of Premier Boxing Champions from the Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania. The undercard will feature undefeated Polish prospect Patryk Szymanski (15-0, 9 KOs) versus former title challenger Silky Wilky Campfort (21-2, 12 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight bout.Currently Vegas is not offering odds on either fight, but Herring is listed as -140 and Shafikov +120 overseas.Herring made his debut in 2012, but hes had only?15 fights. Most of his opponents have had losing records or were at the end of their careers, as in his fight vs. Hector Velasquez. Herring seems to have talent, but a lack of activity and real competition has stalled his career to this point.Herring fights out of Cincinnati, Ohio, and is backed by Al Haymon. The boxer is taking a big step up in competition against Shhafikov, who has been in the ring with far better competition (such as Miguel Vasquez and Rances Barthelemy).dddddddddddd Shafikov was really competitive in those two fights, although he lost in both cases, and he brings talent to the ring and stiffer competition for Herring. The problem is that its pretty much a no-win situation for Herring because hes projected to win, and if he does come out on top, people may just say, Well, you were supposed to.On the undercard is Campfort vs. Szymanski in what figures to be a competitive junior lightweight bout. Campfort enters the ring coming off of a loss to IBF champion Jermall Charlo. Campfort had won 20 fights in a row before he was stopped in the fourth round by Charlo. Across the ring is undefeated rising Polish star Szymanski, who won seven of his last eight fights by knockout. This is his 10th time fighting in the United States. ' ' '