The International Paralympic Committee announced on August 19 that the Rio 2016 Paralympics will suffer huge budget cuts due to poor ticket sales, lack of sponsors and Brazil’s battered economy.

Taking place from Sept. 7-18, the games will go on as scheduled but will be forced to close venues, demolish facilities, cut transportation services, close media centers and downsize the number of staff and employees.

“Never before in the 56-year history of the Paralympic Games have we faced circumstances like this,” said International Paralympic Committee President Sir Philip Craven. “Since becoming aware of the full scale of the problem, we have focused all of our efforts on finding solutions.”

The cornerstone event for the disabled athletic community, the games have reported a record low of 290,000 in ticket sales, just 12 percent of the 2.5 million available.

“The sales of tickets the sponsorships have been below our expectations,” said Mario Andrada, a spokesman for the Rio organizing officials, in the New York Times. Yet, months ago, IPC officials had reported 25 percent of the tickets had been sold. When asked about why that number dropped to 12 percent, Andrada said Rio’s Mayor Eduardo Paes had reneged on his commitment to buy tickets. “The tickets were returned to the pot, and the number has decreased,” said Andrada.

Working to gain any and all last minute funds, Craven said Friday that Rio’s Mayor Eduardo Paes has helped the IPC obtain an additional $47 million in funding and $31 million in sponsorship from state-run companies. Some of the money will be used to pay overdue support grants to the 156 competing countries that help pay for athlete’s travel and were stipulation in Rio’s bid to host the games.

“At this point it is difficult for us to expect the full venues that we saw in Beijing or London, or expect to see in Tokyo in four years’ time,” said Craven. “But I am fully confident Rio 2016 will be the best Games ever in terms of athletic performance. You only have to look at some of the achievements from Para athletes over the last two years to realize that we will witness some truly spectacular sport.”