Monday 5 October 2009
Rio de Janeiro has won the contest to host the 2016 Olympics and take
the games to South America for the first time after the shock elimination of Chicago in the first round of voting on Saturday.
There were celebrations on the streets of the city after the announcement by the IOC president Jacques Rogge.
Chicago was a favourite to win the Games, and US President Barack Obama even flew to Copenhagen to address the IOC in support of his former home town, becoming the first serving
US president to appear before the IOC.
Michelle Obama arrived two days earlier, alongside other dignitaries including
the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and King Juan
Carlos of Spain.
45 minute presentations to the IOC marked the end of a three-year journey
for the bidding cities. Tokyo was knocked out in the second round of
voting before the IOC voted again to decide between Rio and Madrid.
Madrid's surprising success in reaching the final round came after the
former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch made an unusual appeal for
the Spanish capital, reminding the IOC members as he asked for their
vote that at age 89 "I am very near the end of my time."
The Brazilian president told delegates that Rio's bid was made on
behalf of the whole of South America. "I honestly think it is Brazil's
turn," he said. "It is South America's bid. This is a continent that
has never held the games. It is time to address this imbalance. It is
time to light the Olympic cauldron in a tropical country."
The city's bid chief said awarding the honour to Brazil was an opportunity to make Olympic history.
"When you push the button today, you have the chance to inspire a new
continent, make Olympic history," said Carlos Nuzman, the Rio bid chief
executive and IOC member. "Vote Rio, and we offer a gateway to 180
million passionate young people in South America."
(Source: Guardian.co.uk)
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