The General Secretary of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Essar Gabriel, today left Rio de Janeiro, where he was updated by the Rio 2016™ Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Rio 2016™) and its government partners on the city’s preparations. Gabriel was pleased with the progress achieved by Rio so far and the plans for the track and field.

Essar Gabriel said: “It was a great pleasure to be in Rio. With regards to the preparations, I’m impressed because we see in the new headquarters that there are more than 400 people now at work. We have gone through the different functions, from transport and accommodation to competition. It’s pretty much on track from what I am seeing.”

Carlos Arthur Nuzman, President of Rio 2016™, added: “We are working very closely with the international federations to organise excellent sporting events and give athletes the perfect conditions to perform at their best. The Rio 2016™ Olympic Stadium will be a standalone venue for track and field, with no groundshare needed with neither the Opening and Closing Ceremonies nor the football finals. We are also ensuring athletics benefits from a positive legacy and we are happy to see that the IAAF recognises our efforts”.

The IAAF General Secretary was welcomed by the Rio 2016™ Sports Executive Director and double Pan American champion in athletics, Agberto Guimarães, then was taken to some of the hotels proposed for the federation.

Gabriel also visited the new Rio 2016™ headquarters, where he was briefed on the current developments at the Olympic Stadium by the President of Rio’s Urban Development Company (RioUrbe), Armando Queiroga. The briefing was followed by a meeting with Jose Candido Muricy, the Coordinator for the State Government’s Project Management Office. Muricy explained the plans for a new track and field facility to be built as part of the Maracana Stadium renovation.

Gabriel commented: “We had heard that the [Olympic] stadium had been closed, but we are confident from what we heard that things will be back on track and are handled well – that is very important.

“Also, we understood that as part of a huge regeneration exercise around the Maracana Stadium, part of the requirements given to private investors was that there must be a new stadium of athletics built. I am sure we will see a beautiful project of a new stadium of athletics and then the athletics federation in Brazil can work hand in hand with the public authorities to look to ensure that this is delivered at the highest standards and used as a legacy for the local people and also as a centre of excellence of athletics in this country”.