Thursday 2 October 2008 marks exactly one year until the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meets in Copenhagen, to select the host city of the 2016 Olympic Games. For the Rio 2016 bid, the countdown began on Wednesday 1 October, with a celebration at the Palacio do Planalto in Brasília, in which President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva honored athletes from the Brazilian delegation that took part in the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Representing the 25 Olympic and Paralympic medal-winners present, Maurren Maggi (gold medalist in Olympic long jump) and Antônio Tenório (gold medalist in Paralympic judo) participated in handing over the Rio 2016 flag to President Lula. The president recalled the emotions he felt during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games. "It was extraordinary, fantastic. And that is why Brazil deserves to host the Games. We have London 2012 coming up, where we will be able to improve our participation and results and, God willing, Rio de Janeiro in 2016", said Lula.

 The ceremony was also attended by Vice President José Alencar, Minister of Sport Orlando Silva Jr, Rio’s bid president Carlos Arthur Nuzman, and the president of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, Vital Severino Neto. “There is just one year left until the IOC decision, and the Brazilian government once again is demonstrating its support to the Rio 2016 bid. It is unquestionable that Brazilian sport is improving in quality and this celebration recognizes our athletes’ efforts. South America deserves to hold the Olympic Games for the first time, and Rio 2016 has much to offer the international Olympic Movement”, said Nuzman.