Press room

President Dilma Rousseff has said that from now on she will make regular trips to Rio de Janeiro to accompany the preparations and organisation of the Rio 2016 Games. “I promised President Nuzman and our objective is to integrate ourselves more deeply,” she stated, highlighting the importance of the performance of the State Government and, especially, City Hall in the staging of the biggest sporting event on the planet.

The declaration was made this afternoon (12 May) during a visit to the headquarters of the Organising Committee for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in Cidade Nova, Rio de Janeiro. Accompanied by Governor Luiz Fernando Pezão, Mayor Eduardo Paes, and acting Minister for Sport, Ricardo Leyser, the president was welcomed by Carlos Arthur Nuzman, president of the Organising Committee and the Brazilian Olympic Committee, Chief Executive Officer Sidney Levy and the Rio 2016 Executive Board, for a meeting about the Games.

According to Rousseff, the Games are important for the image of Brazil abroad and will contribute to the development of the image of the country. “I am certain that Brazil will host a perfect Games”, she confirmed. The president also said that she needs to articulate more clearly the legacy that the city and Brazil will enjoy through staging the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.