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Rio's Olympics, a huge opportunity for development

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-10-03 10:43

RIO DE JANEIRO - Rio de Janeiro's election to host the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games represents a huge opportunity for the city and the beginning of a new era in the history of the modern Games.

The election, which took place on Friday in Copenhagen, Denmark, was marked by the emotion and enthusiasm of the Brazilian delegation. The representatives focused their presentation in Rio's beauty and in the potential benefits that hosting the Games could bring to the city.

In order to convince the voters to grant Rio the right to host the Games, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stressed that his country was the only one among the finalists which had never hosted either the Summer or Winter Olympic Games. Worse, that the South American continent had never had the chance to host the competition.

"Among the 10 largest economies in the world, we are the only one who did not host the Olympic Games," said the President. "To the others, it will be just another Olympics, but for us it will be an unparalleled opportunity. The International Olympic Committee's challenge is to expand the Games to other countries, to light the Olympic Pyre in a tropical country," President Lula added.

The President stressed that the victory was not his, but of all the Brazilian people, and said that the country is committed to doing an excellent job.

"The Brazilians' generous soul will make the most extraordinary Olympics the world has ever seen," he said.

Rio's bid gained strength after the city successfully organized the 2007 Pan-American Games and won the right to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Some of the structures built or renovated for the Pan-American, such as the Maracana stadium and the Joao Havelange Olympic Stadium, will be used in the 2016 Games.

Among the four finalists, Rio was widely regarded as the city which most needed the infrastructure improvements required to host the Olympic Games. The infrastructure projects will receive 72 percent of the total budget, which was set at 14 billion U.S. dollars - the highest among the candidates.

The transportation sector will receive half of the total investments, which will include the expansion of the subway network and several improvements in the city's bus network. A road space rationing scheme may also be implemented during the competition.

The tourism sector will be largely benefited, especially because the Games will take place in August, in the city's low season; the construction sector will also benefit, with the construction of several competition sites, as well as the Olympic Village.

The Olympic Games will also contribute to improve Brazil's image in the world. Though the country's credibility has increased in the past few years, due to the solidity of its economy among the crisis and to the decreasing social inequality indicators, it still carries the label of third-world country, which is something President Lula hopes to overcome.

"They say Brazil is a third world country. Many say that. We need to improve health and education," he said. "Yes, we have much work ahead of us. But we are a huge country and receiving the Olympic Games will only help. Respect is good, and today we received it," he said.