Carlos Roberto Osório, Secretary General of the Rio 2016 Bid Committee, today expressed his delight at attending the opening of the new Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) headquarters and the inaugural OCA Sports Congress and explained that Rio 2016 were honoured to attend these historic moments for sport in Asia.
Mr Osório was joined in Kuwait by Rio 2016 Bid Committee member Mario Cilenti, Head of International Relations, to listen and learn about the development of sport in Asia following the success of the Asian National Olympic Committees at the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Olympia, the new OCA headquarters in Kuwait City, was opened on Wednesday by IOC President Jacques Rogge in an inauguration ceremony attended by OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, Director General Husain Al-Musallam and a number of IOC members.
President Rogge and President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah delivered keynote speeches at OCA Sports Congress to over three hundred delegates from throughout the Olympic Movement, including IOC Members, forty five NOCs from the OCA, International Sports Federations and numerous government officials from Asian Countries.
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah opened by remarking that one of the main objectives of the Congress is to work together to determine the future strategy of sport development in Asia in preparation for the Olympic Congress at Copenhagen 2009. He also highlighted that the congress was an opportunity for all the sports leaders of Asia exchange views on issues such as sport within the Olympic Movement, environment, anti-doping, sport and society and sport and peace.
Mr Osório said: I am thrilled to be in Kuwait, the capital of sport in Asia, to observe this momentous occasion for sport in the region.The remarkable achievement of two hundred and twelve medals from nineteen National Olympic Committees at the 2008 Olympic Games demonstrates the progress and strength of Olympic sports in Asia.
We are here to listen and learn from their experience in order to enhance the Rio 2016 proposition and build on our strong relationships with sports leaders from Asia."
