Rio Chooses Company for Olympic Park Masterplan; 2014 Security Concerns

Company Selected to Design Rio Olympic Park

U.S. design firm AECOM will plan how the Olympic Park area will be used for the 2016 Summer Games.

Rio 2016 announced late Friday that the company had won its Olympic Park Urban Masterplan competition. The company will receive $62,000 as the winner.

The plan dictates how the public spaces, parks and squares will be used and also where future real estate developments will be built.

AECOM has experience developing these areas and was responsible for the London 2012 Olympic Park masterplan. The new plan considers use during the Games but also long-term use after the Olympics.

"We wanted to bring the experience acquired in London, where it was also important to plan the park's Games-time operation and long term usage, as well as the transition between these two moments," AECOM associate director Adam Williams said in a statement.

The urban plan frees up at least 60 percent of the Olympic Park area for future developments.

The permanent sports facilities will be built around the existing Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre, Olympic Velodrome and Olympic Arena. After the Games, this group of venues will form an Olympic Training Center to be used for developing talent.

"The Olympic Park legacy for Brazilian sports will be a training centre modeled after the successful experiences of the world's greatest sporting powers," said Rio 2016 president Carlos Arthur Nuzman.

Security for the 2014 FIFA World Cup

Despite a robbery last month, Nike is confident in security preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Oregonlive.com reports that Nike employees were in a group that was robbed on July 19 at the Santa Teresa Hotelin Rio de Janiero.Theemployees were in town for the World Military Games.

The sportswear giant plants to have a strong presence at the World Cup with its sponsorships of many teams including Brazil, France, Portugal and the U.S.

A Nike spokesperson told the Oregon paper that the company believes security for the event will be effective.

"We know this is a top concern for Brazilian officials … We are confident that security for the 2014 World Cup, like other major global sporting events, will be in place and will be effective. We also review our own security measures as wellbefore our employees attend major events," said Mary Remuzzi in a written statement.

adidas, the official World Cup sponsor, also expressed confidence in security measures.

"adidas is confident that FIFA and the Local Organizing Committee of the 2014 World Cup will work closely with the local authorities to ensure a safe and successful event," said a spokesperson.

According to FIFA, security precautions are the responsibility of the host country.

Pope Announces Next World Youth Day

Rio de Janiero will host the next World Youth Day in 2013.

The announcement came from Pope Benedict XVI at Madrid’s Cuarto Vientos airbase over the weekend. Madrid was the host the 2011 World Youth Day, where young people travel from around the world to see the Pope.

A Brazilian pilgrim commented that the event would be bigger than the World Cup or the Olympics.

"This is more important than the World Cup, Rock in Rio or the Olympics. So we Brazilians are all very happy, very happy today," Felipe Vilvert, 18, told the Christian News Agency.

Written by Ann Cantrell.