Rio bid team happy to hammer home message to IOC

From Gerard Meagher, Sportsbeat, in Copenhagen

 THE message from Rio is clear - we are ready to host the 2016 Olympics and it's high time the Games came to South America.

 CLEAR MESSAGE: Rio 2016 pull no punches in telling the IOC, we're ready for the Olympics

Indeed, the message has been clear for some time that Rio has a strong enough economy to stage the Olympics and South America deserves its first Games.

Once again, subtlety was thrown out of the window by the bidding team during its presentation which continued to hammer home that it is a bid for Rio, a bid for Brazil and a bid for South America.

Speaking after Rio's presentation Minister of Sport Orlando Silva outlined how a strategic plan was carried out to the full, claiming the team had given a clear view of ‘Real de Janeiro.'

"I believe we planned our presentation in a strategic manner to clearly present that Rio does not have any problem in showing its reality so we presented what is happening in Rio," he said.

"The 45 minutes we just had in front of the IOC took many years to prepare.

"Myself and Carlos Nuzman were thinking about this morning at the end of the Pan-Am Games in 2007.

"President Lula and Carlos [Nuzman] have shown the IOC all the guarantees that we are ready to host the Olympic Games and proved what a great opportunity it is to develop the country through sport and continue our regeneration.

"The IOC have understood our message that the Games, the first in Rio and the first in South America, and the potential transforming effect on the youth of Brazil.

"We now feel very optimistic and we feel as though we fulfilled our duty. We wanted to show the reality of Rio - Real de Janiero.

"We feel confident because we wanted to make the IOC members comfortable to choose Rio.

"We looked on all aspects that all candidate had to present solutions to their bid books so we didn't hesitate to show our solutions to security fears.

"During the Pan-Am Games we had 5000 athletes, 5000 delegates and 42 countries and there were no, absolutely, zero incidents when it came to security."

Meanwhile, football great Pele echoed Silva's sentiments that Rio is ready to stage the Games, and revealed he would prefer to play for Brazil at Rio 2016 rather than the 2014 World Cup, was he still in his prime.

"Of course if I prepared to play in the World Cup I would be there," he added.

"As you know I played in four World Cups and the only player to win three but for me the Olympics is more important.

"I signed my first contract and played for Brazil at 16 and at that time professionals could not play in the Olympics.

"If I could play at the 2014 World Cup it would be important but it is more important to me to play at Rio 2016.

"We have shown the IOC that Rio is ready and while we have respect for the other cities, we remain confident."