Brazilian President assists Rio Olympic bid

Friday, 02 October 2009 14:45

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is courting Southern Hemisphere countries in the attempt to have Rio de Janeiro chosen as the venue for the 2016 Olympics.

The President has visited eight countries since April to seek developing nations’ support for Rio. The other cities on the shortlist are Chicago, Tokyo and Madrid. Rio and Chicago are seemingly running neck and neck.

The selection of Rio would mean a South America country hosted the Games for the first time. This would result in investment totaling more than $51 billion into the Brazilian economy, with a consequent growth in jobs, according to research by a Sao Paulo business school.

“Hosting the games shouldn’t be the exclusive privilege of rich nations,” Lula has said. “For the other countries, it’s just another Olympics. For Brazil, it’s a chance to reaffirm our identity as a people and as a country.”
Rio has a negative image due to high violent crime rate.

Lula is concentrating on winning support from the 15 African members of the IOC, Brazilian investment abroad is now $20 billion a year, with an emphasis on the developing world. Sales of goods and service to developing nations accounted for 50% of all exports in 2008.