Paralympics 2016: Have Games dodged disaster?

One month ago, Rio's Maracana Stadium welcomed the world as the ribbon was cut on South America's first ever Olympic Games. Come 5.30pm local time Wednesday, it'll be the turn of the Paralympics to set the famous old venue alight.

The 15th Summer Paralympic Games has been  about ticket sales, budget cuts and the unexpected closure of facilities in recent weeks.

Despite those apocalyptic visions of disaster, organizers are looking forward to the Games with a renewed sense of positivity.

"It's been a little tumultuous," said International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president, Philip Craven, exercising no little understatement when he spoke to CNN Tuesday. "Six weeks ago, we didn't know how deep the difficulties were. We soon found out and then we started working (to put things right)."

y mid-August just 12% of tickets for Paralympic events had been sold, causing major cash shortfalls which were exacerbated by a lack of sponsors.

As a result, it was announced that the workforce which had been in place for the Rio Olympics would be reduced, a number of media centers would be closed while some venues would be changed.

"Never before in the 56-year history of the Paralympic Games have we faced circumstances like this," Craven told reporters at the time.

However the IPC worked with Rio's mayor, Eduardo Paes, to secure additional funding and bring in sponsorship from state-run companies. Similarly, arrangements were made with Brazil's national government to ensure security forces that were in place for the Olympics would remain for the Paralympics.