President Lula said the sort of funding shortages experienced by London 2012 would not be a problem for a Rio 2016 Olympics (ATR/J.Corbett)The Olympics are “not the privilege” of the developed world, says Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after a tour of the Olympic Park in London Friday.
“Too long” has passed since Mexico hosted the 1968 Olympic Games and it was time for a Latin American country to be given a chance in 2016, he said.
“Just as South Africa in hosting the next World Cup is showing that football also belongs to Africa, so we should have the opportunity to show that the Olympics belongs to South America,” Lula said. Brazil, which borders 11 South American countries, was “the best geographic choice.”
His comments came at a Rio 2016 press briefing after a visit to the east London site of the 2012 Olympic Stadium and Olympic Village. It followed his participation in the G20 summit Thursday.
Carlos Nuzman, president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee and the Rio 2016 bid, Sergio Cabral, governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro and Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes were among other bid figures at the briefing.
Lula was in an effusive mood, flirting and joking with the assembled media. There were only a handful of British reporters but he attracted a large contingent of Brazilian journalists.
He said that a “combination of Rio’s existing infrastructure and the beauty that God gave Rio” made it a unique contender. Rio is up against Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo in the race for the 2016 Olympics. The IOC will decide on the host city on Oct. 2.
“We want to show Rio as it is: the true Rio. We’re not going to put on cosmetics. Rio is too beautiful already,” he said.
Batting away suggestions that Brazil’s Olympic committee was lacking funds, he insisted that federal and state government were fully backing the bid. “We are already committed and spending funds… We will give all the collaterals and guarantees,” he said.
Lula claimed his country was uniquely placed amid the credit crunch because of the prevalence of state-run banks. The Brazilian National Development Bank is “bigger” than the World Brazilian Minister of Sport Orlando Silva and Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes with President Lula (center), Sergio Cabral, governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro and bid leader Carlos Nuzman (ATR/J.Corbett) Bank, he said. This means that the sort of funding shortages experienced by London 2012 organizers would not be a problem for the Brazilian bid.
“Things will be easier in 2016 than they are today,” he said.
Cabral played down concerns about Rio’s violent reputation. “There will be top notch security in Rio,” he said, pointing to the 2007 Pan American Games which passed without major incident.
He added that Rio had undertaken difficult but effective steps against the drug barons that once haunted its streets. Giving the example of Cidade de Deus, the notorious slum that was the backdrop to the 2004 Oscar winning film "City of God," he claimed that there were now no drugs in this neighborhood. What violence took place on Rio’s streets, he said, was merely “a confrontation of violence.”
At this point Lula interjected, saying that there had been no violence in Munich but a terrorist attack during its 1972 Olympics. “You can’t mix these things up,” he said – but at the same time pointed out that Brazil had no terrorist problem of its own. He joked that the only disaster he could possibly foresee at the Brazil-staged 2014 World Cup was the national team not winning the tournament.
Rio Mayor Paes hailed the “fantastic work andRio 2016 bid officials today saw London's Olympic Stadium as it takes shape. (ATR/J.Corbett)organization” of London 2012 Olympic organizers.
He added that preparations for the 2014 World Cup Finals were well under way in his own city, and hoped that this same infrastructure would be used in 2016.
Lula was the first overseas head of state to be shown around London's Olympic Park.
He was hosted by John Armitt, chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, and Keith Mills, deputy chairman of London 2012 (LOCOG). LOCOG chair Sebastian Coe has been in New Zealand taking part in the Oceania National Olympic Committees general assembly this week and was unable to meet the delegation.
“An area that was in decay will be transformed,” said Lula, who seemed impressed by what he had seen of London's Olympic construction effort.
Nuzman told Around the Rings, “It was a fantastic visit, particularly to have the president of our republic here, visiting the Olympic Park. Especially because he is the first head of state to visit LOCOG.
“We always learn a lot of things from visiting the development. I was here six months ago with the governor and the things that they have improved in six months are fabulous,” he said.
“The temporary venues are very important for the future. On one side permanent, on another temporary. Another important point is the system they will develop for the Olympic Village. I think it will be a little bit different from the other [Games], but a great success with the social part of the village. It is so big. It will be great for the Games.”
With reporting from James Corbett in London.
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