Brazil Minister of Sport Wants Legacy For Country`s Athletes

(ATR) Brazil Minister of Sport George Hilton would like a creation of a national sporting network to be a legacy from the 2016 Olympic Games.

Hilton discussed his ten-year plan for a sporting network that connects the federal, state, and local governments, in addition to ministries of science & technology and education. Hilton would like to see the continuation of investments in national sports centers across the country, and the return of compulsory physical education for young Brazilians.

"The idea is to leverage legacy materials that Rio will have to reach across the country," Hilton said at a "public dialogue" on Aug. 13 in Rio de Janeiro.

"We need a government action to deliver equipment across the country to allow sports initiation and training of athletes."

Hilton said that he is pushing for a law to be passed in September to help establish the national sporting network. He said that $1.1 billion has been invested in sporting training centers across the country the past four years, and that a national training network will make sure sport is not abandoned after the Games.

Last month, Hilton opened a training center in Rio Branco in the Acre state in Northwest Brazil, 1,858 miles away from Rio de Janeiro.

"With the national system, let us define who will do what and how to ensure the sport for life, and not only training athletes," Hilton said.

"Giving access to sports early, this is the greatest legacy."

New Visa Requirements

A proposed new law could eliminate American travelers' need for a visa to enter Brazil next year.

Minister of Tourism Henrique Alves explained the possible legislation at a "public dialogue" on the Rio 2016 Olympics. American tourists would not require a visa to enter Brazil from January 2016 through the Paralympic games.

"The United States is the second largest source of tourists to Brazil and is a country that spends more and stays in the country for pleasure," Alves said.

"Eliminating visas in 2016 could inject up to $ 1.7 billion more in the Brazilian economy."

The legislation would still need approval from the National Congress to be enacted.

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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