Rio Mascot Launch Imminent

(ATR) The Rio 2016 Olympics will soon have a mascot.

A spokesperson for the organizing committee confirmed to Around the Rings thatthe mascot launch is "coming soon." Around the Rings has learnedthat the launch will happen early next week.

In the lead-up to the launch, mascots from the 1980 Moscow, 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Summer Olympics will visit locations across Rio de Janeiro to spread awareness of the launch.

The mascots will "land" in Rio de Janeiro International Airport on Thursday, and then visit Sugarloaf Mountain on Friday and Maracana Stadium on Saturday.

Specialist Volunteers Still Needed

Rio 2016 is still searching for specialist volunteers.

Volunteers in technology operations and language services are needed, two fields that have preexisting requirements to apply.

The organizing committee says that 8,000 language specialists and 2,000 technology specialists will be needed for the Games.

Language specialists must be fluent in one of 31 languages set out by the organizing committee. A list of those languages can be found here.

A spokesperson for the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee told ATR they are highlighting those two fields because "we want the biggest, widest most diverse number of applications."

Volunteer applications for the 2016 Olympics are open until December 15. So far, 170,000 applications have been received.

USOC Visits Rio

A delegation led by United States Olympic Committee chief of sport performance Alan Ashley will visit Rio de Janeiro this week.

ATR understands that the aim of the visit to check on the progress of venues and continue preparations for the NOC’s trip to the Olympics.

Last month, 13 NOCs visited Rio de Janeiro to work with the organizing committee to check up on the Games’ progress.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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