Brazil will host the 2016 Olympic Games
COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee announced on Friday October 2nd, 2009.
There was much commotion and anxiety in Brazil on the day of the announcement of the host city. While the president Luis Inacio “Lula” da Silva, Pele, and other politicians and athletes were in Copenhagen, Denmark, to take part in the polling and in the presentations of the Olympic projects that would decide the host city.
All worries were on Chicago, especially due to the presence of Barack Obama in Copenhagen, and other celebrities as Michael Jordan and Oprah Winfrey. But in the very first round, Chicago was eliminated. The second city to be eliminated of the polling was Tokyo and only Madrid and Rio de Janeiro remained.
When the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) opened the envelope with the five Olympic rings and said that Rio de Janeiro was to be the host of the 2016 Olympic Games, there were two explosions of happiness. One at Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, where a big party began with music, people hugging, dancing and celebrating Rio’s victory; the other in Copenhagen, where they also spread a beam with the words "Rio Loves You". The whole Brazilian delegation jumped off their chairs and started celebrating.
The announcement brought tears to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief several times in a news conference afterward.
"Our hour has arrived," he said. "It has arrived."
Rio organizers promised to start working immediately to make the games a success. "Maybe some of the people tomorrow can rest," said Rio 2016 President Carlos Nuzman. "I'm not!"
For Rio, a major appeal was bringing the Olympics to South America for the first time. IOC President Jacques Rogge said in the news conference afterward that in addition to its excellent bid, Rio had the "extra added value of going for the first time to a continent that's never had the games."
He also noted that Brazil helped its chances this year when it did not get the 2012 games awarded four years ago.
"Rio remained humble," he said. "They wanted to listen, to repair their shortcomings."
An animated Lula da Silva, surrounded by Rio supporters, said at a news conference after the announcement, "Among the 10 major economies of the world, Brazil was the only country that had not received the Olympic and Paralympic Games. For us, it will hardly be our last Olympics. For us, it will be an opportunity to be equal. It will increase self-esteem for Brazilians, will consolidate recent conquests and stimulate new advances."
Brazil will host the 2013 Confederations Cup, 2014 Soccer World Cup and 2016 Olympics, three huge events in the world of sport. Now the country must prepare the structures to receive such high profile and important events.
The Liquid Team - 05 Oct 2009
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