Inauguration of the official Rio 2016 candidature stand attended by city and state authorities and Olympic medalist Robson Caetano

A little bit of Rio’s sunshine and spirit was displayed today at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin. This Saturday 15 August, the State Governor, Sérgio Cabral, the city’s Mayor, Eduardo Paes and Rio 2016 Bid Committee President, Carlos Nuzman, inaugurated the city’s official stand at the historic Berlin Olympic Stadium to promote its candidature as host for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Also present at the inauguration were former sprinter Robson Caetano, bronze medalist at the 1988 Seoul (200m) and 1996 Atlanta (4x100m relay) Games, and National Secretary for elite sports, Ricardo Leyser.

The stand brings with it a little of Rio’s radiance and highlights the Games Plan and main venues of the Rio 2016 project. One of the stand’s principal features is a ramp decorated with the characteristic Copacabana Beach sidewalk design and allowing easy access for all visitors. With three interactive screens, visitors can familiarize themselves with the Rio bid, watch videos of athletes and prominent figures in support of the bid and take a virtual tour of Rio de Janeiro. At the end of the tour, they can send a personalized photo of themselves against a background of the Sugarloaf Mountain, the statue of Christ the Redeemer or the Rio 2016 logo, all to the sounds of samba, chorinho and Brazilian Popular Music.

“It was an excellent idea to allocate space for the Candidate Cities to present their projects. For sports enthusiasts who hope to attend the Games or watch them on TV and support their sporting heroes, it provides an opportunity to get to know each Candidate City’s vision and ideas. The stand is beautifully put together and we are delighted to be participating in this way at the Championships,” said Carlos Nuzman.

The Governor and Mayor both sent photos to their family and friends and were eager to greet Canadian visitors at the stand. “This space is Rio to a tee, in all its beauty and unique offering for international guests. It is sure to attract a lot of visitors this week during the Championships and our message is “come to Rio and live your passion””, said Governor Sérgio Cabral, quoting the candidature slogan.

The host city for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be chosen on October 2 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Mayor, Eduardo Paes, said that “despite the competitive bids from all cities, I am confident that the unique and historic offering of Rio de Janeiro as well as the commitment demonstrated behind the city’s bid will resonate with spectators at the World Championships and members of the Olympic Family.

“It’s a complicated challenge, but we are optimistic and have done our homework. This stand is a little bit of Rio in Berlin and it captures the city’s passion for everyone here this week,” said Mr. Paes.

Robson Caetano was a big hit, autographing caps and souvenirs for the visitors. “Rio 2016 has succeeded in designing a display that is not just beautiful; it also captures our offering very effectively and demonstrates the tremendous support for the bid,” said the Olympic medalist.

More information, please contact:

Saint-Clair Milesi, Rio 2016
saintclair.milesi@rio2016.org.br