2016 Summer Olympics

Games of the XXXI Olympiad
The Olympic bid logo is being used by the Rio de Janeiro Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games until the launch of the official logo on December 31,2010/January 1, 2011.
Host city	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Motto	Viva sua Paixão (Live Your Passion)
Nations participating	205 (estimated)
Athletes participating	12,500 (estimated)
Opening ceremony	August 5
Closing ceremony	August 21
Stadium	Maracanã Stadium

The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, are a major international multi-sport event to be celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The host city of the Games will be Rio de Janeiro as announced at the 121st IOC Session (which is also the 13th Olympic Congress) held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on October 2, 2009. They are scheduled to be held from August 5 to 21, 2016. The 2016 Summer Paralympics will be held in the same city and organized by the same committee, and are scheduled to be held from September 7 to 18. The Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be the second edition held in Latin America (after Mexico City 1968), the first edition held in South America, the third edition held in the southern hemisphere (the first of those three outside of Australia), and the first games in a lusophone country.

Bidding

The bidding process for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games was officially launched on May 16, 2007.^[1] The first step for each city was to submit an initial application to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by September 13, 2007, confirming their intention to bid. Completed official bid files, containing answers to a 25-question IOC form, were to be submitted by each applicant city by January 14, 2008. Four candidate cities were chosen for the shortlist on June 4, 2008: Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo (which hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics). The IOC did not promote Doha to the Candidature phase, despite scoring higher than selected candidate city Rio de Janeiro, due to their intent of hosting the Olympics in October, outside of the IOC's sporting calendar. Prague and Baku also failed to make the cut.^[2]

Nawal El Moutawakel of Morocco headed the 10 member Evaluation Commission, having also chaired the evaluation commission for the 2012 Summer Olympics bids. The commission made on-site inspections in the second quarter of 2009. They issued a comprehensive technical appraisal for IOC members on September 2, one month before elections.^[3]

There are many restrictions barring the bidding cities from communicating with or influencing directly the 115 voting members. Cities can't invite any IOC members to visit them and they can't send them anything that can be construed as a gift. However, bidding cities invest large sums in their PR and media programs in an attempt to indirectly influence the IOC members by garnering domestic support, support from sports media and general international media. Jon Tibbs, a consultant on the Tokyo bid, was recently quoted as saying “Ultimately, you are communicating with just 115 people and each one has influencers and pressure groups but you are still speaking to no more than about 1,500 people, perhaps 5,000 in the broadest sense. It is not just about getting ads out there but it is about a targeted and very carefully planned campaign.”^[4]

The final voting was held on October 2, 2009, in Copenhagen with Chicago and Rio de Janeiro perceived as favorites to land the games. Chicago and Tokyo were eliminated after the first and second rounds of voting, respectively, while Rio de Janeiro took a significant lead over Madrid heading into the final round. The lead held and Rio de Janeiro was announced as host, becoming the first city in South America to host an Olympic games.

121st Session International Olympic Committee October 2, 2009, in Bella Center, Copenhagen, Denmark.
City	Nation	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3
Rio de Janeiro	Brazil	26	46	66
Madrid	Spain	28	29	32
Tokyo	Japan	22	20	—
Chicago	United States	18	—	—

Venues and infrastructure

The Maracanã Stadium (seen here during the opening ceremony of the 2007 Pan American Games) will host the opening and closing ceremonies.

All venues of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016 will be located in four zones: Copacabana Beach, Maracanã, Deodoro and Barra da Tijuca; the latter will also house the Olympic Village.

Besides the Maracanã Stadium, the football matches will also take place in Salvador (Fonte Nova Stadium), São Paulo (Morumbi Stadium), Belo Horizonte (Mineirão Stadium) and Brasília (National Brasília Stadium). All these stadiums will also be used in the FIFA World Cup 2014.

Existing venues

Maracanã Stadium, site of the opening and closing, in addition to the finals of Football	João Havelange Stadium, site of Track and Field events	Maria Lenk National Aquatic Center, site of Diving, and Water Polo	Copacabana Beach, site of Marathon swimming, Triathlon and Beach volleyball
HSBC Arena, site of Artistic gymnastics, Rhythmic gymnastics and Trampoline	Sambadrome, site of Marathon and Archery	Maracanãzinho Gymnasium, site of Volleyball	Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, site of Rowing and Canoeing

Sports

The 2016 Summer Olympic program is scheduled to feature 28 sports and a total of 38 disciplines. There were two open spots for sports and initially seven sports began the bidding for inclusion in the 2016 program. Baseball and softball, which were dropped from the program in 2005, karate, squash, golf, roller sports (inline speed skating) and rugby union all applied to be included. Leaders of the seven sports held presentations in front of the IOC executive board in June 2009.^[5]

In August, the executive board initially gave its approval to rugby sevens—a seven-man version of rugby union—by a majority vote, thus removing baseball, roller sports, and squash from contention. Among the remaining three—golf, karate, and softball—the board approved golf as a result of consultation. A decision regarding the remaining two sports was made on 9 October 2009, the final day of the 121st IOC Session at which Rio de Janeiro was named as host. A new system was in place at this Session; a sport now needs only a simple majority from the full IOC for approval rather than the two-thirds majority previously required.^[6]

On October 9, 2009 the IOC voted to include rugby sevens and golf on the program for the Games in Rio. The other 26 sports were also confirmed with a large majority of the votes.^[7]

Broadcasting

•  Brazil - Organizações Globo and Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação (exclusive all rights holders), Rede Record (only free-to-pay television)^[8]
• Europe (excluding France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and United Kingdom) - Sportfive; rights in each country to be resold to local broadcasters^[9]
•  Italy - SKY Italia^[9] and a free-TV broadcaster (RAI or La7) due to compulsory free broadcasting of the event
•  Turkey - Fox Turkey^[9]

Security Concerns

Since the award of the 2016 Olympics to Rio de Janeiro, the city's crime problems have received more attention. A police helicopter was shot down over a favela during one of the city's many drug wars, and 14 people were killed in the incident.^[10] Rio's mayor has admitted that there are "big issues" facing the city in securing the games from violence, however, he also states that such concerns and issues were presented to the IOC throughout the bidding process.^[11] The governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro also highlighted the fact that London faced security problems with a terrorist attack occurring on the day following the IOC session that chose the city to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

The IOC, however, has expressed optimism with allowing the city and the nation of Brazil to address these concerns.^[12] Seven years is enough time for Rio de Janeiro to clean up its crime problem the IOC says. IOC spokesman Mark Adams told The Associated Press "we have confidence in their capacity to deliver a safe Games in seven years." "Security is of course a very important aspect of any Olympic Games no matter where it is in the world. This is of course entirely under the national, regional and city authorities."^[13][14][15] Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, president of Brazil, has noted that the city has hosted other high-profile events without major incident, for example the 2007 Pan American Games.^[16]

Notes

External links

• Rio de Janeiro 2016 from the International Olympic Committee
• Rio de Janeiro 2016 Official Homepage

Brazil topics History First inhabitants · Colonization · Empire · Old Republic · Vargas Era · Republic of 46 · Military rule · Contemporary Politics Constitution · President · National Congress · Elections · Political parties · Foreign relations · Antarctic Geopolitics Law Law enforcement · Supreme Federal Tribunal · Human rights (LGBT rights) · Anti-discrimination laws · Order of Attorneys Economy Real · Central Bank · List of companies · Agriculture · Industry · Economic history · Telecommunications · Tourism Geography Regions · States · Municipalities · Islands · Coastline · Climate · Environment · Extreme points · Protected areas · Capitals Demographics People · Languages · Religion · Immigration · Education · Health · Crime · Social issues · Largest cities · Apartheid Culture Art (general) · Carnival · Cuisine · Cinema · Holidays · Literature · Music (Musicians · Groups) · Painting · Sculpture Transport High-speed rail · Highway · Railways · Airports · Bus Rapid Transit Energy Renewable energy · Ethanol fuel · Electricity · Vale · Petrobras · Eletrobras Sports 1950 FIFA World Cup · 2014 FIFA World Cup · 2016 Summer Olympics · 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup · National football team · National volleyball team Other topics Military · International rankings · Science and technology · Mercosul · Potential superpowers Category · Portal · WikiProject