Rio de Janeiro Selected to Host International Judo Event

Judo’s Grand Slam to be held at Maracanãzinho Arena, one of the venues earmarked for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Rio, 15 April 2009 – Rio de Janeiro has been selected to host the Brazilian leg of judo’s foremost international event, the Grand Slam tour, on 4-5 July 2009 at the Maracanãzinho Arena.

The official announcement of the choice of Rio de Janeiro for the Grand Slam took place at Palácio Guanabara and was attended by State Governor, Sérgio Cabral; Rio 2016 President, Carlos Arthur Nuzman; State Tourism, Sport and Leisure Secretary, Márcia Lins; acting President of the Brazilian Judo Confederation, João Rocha (representing President Paulo Wanderley Teixeira); and Olympians Tiago Camilo, Leandro Guilheiro and Flávio Canto.

Dressed in a kimono and black belt, Governor Sérgio Cabral enthusiastically addressed the crowd present for the announcement: “Brazilian judo is a source of pride for all of us. The choice of Rio as a Grand Slam city is recognition of all the effort and ongoing commitments that Brazil has made in the ongoing development of sport and in the Rio 2007 Pan American Games. Furthermore, it is a fillip for South America, which has never hosted the Olympic Games.” Cabral also formally announced an investment of R$2.5 million to stage the high profile judo event.

“This Grand Slam will put Brazilian judo center-stage and hopefully lead to even better results for our athletes in the future. The selection of Rio for this prestigious event is also very supportive of our bid to host the 2016 Games. Three months before the IOC makes its selection of Host City of the 2016 Games, the eyes of the sports world will be on Rio de Janeiro for this competition,” said President Nuzman.

According to the Brazilian Judo Confederation, around 2.5 million people practice judo in Brazil. For Flávio Canto, holding the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro would further boost the sport. “Rio’s selection as one of the few host cities of the Grand Slam proves that the world has recognized that we can successfully host important international sporting competitions. The Grand Slam will allow cariocas to get more involved in judo and prepare for potentially hosting the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Brazil contributes to the training and development of many top-level athletes and I am confident that a lot of them will be able to represent Brazil in 2016,” said Canto.


Note to editors:
In addition to Brazil, three other countries will be hosting the judo Grand Slam: France, Japan and Russia.

More information:
Catherine St-Laurent
m: +44 (0)7595 049 682
t: +44 (0)20 7379 4000
f: +44 (0)20 7836 5812
email: cstlaurent@verocom.co.uk