Tony Blair to be paid consultant for Rio 2016

FORMER Prime Minister Tony Blair has agreed to act as a paid consultant for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

IN DEMAND: Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who played a key role in securing London the 2012 Olympics, has agreed a consultancy post for Rio 2016 (Getty Images)

Mr Blair was offered a consultancy post after a meeting with Rio Governor Sergio Cabral, Brazilian Sports Minister Orlando Silva and Rio 2016 President Carlos Nuzman in London on Saturday.

He has agreed to make at least one speech in an advisory role for Rio 2016 - set to take place four years after London host the Olympics.

Mr Blair, 56, played a key role in securing London the 2012 Olympics, as his late lobbying from his suite in the Raffles Hotel played a critical role in swinging momentum behind the British capital and away from Paris.

Mr Cabral said: "Tony Blair is largely responsible for London winning and hosting the Olympics in 2012.

"If London has reached 2010 with everything in place, it is because of the planning and preparation during the period when he was Prime Minister.

"So hiring him provides a great bridge between London and Rio."

Mr Cabral, who confirmed Mr Blair will give a speech in Rio in May, said his fee would be paid by private sponsorship and not from public funds.

Mr Blair has made an estimated £15million since standing down as PM in 2007 and earned almost £400,000 for two half-hour speeches in the Philippines last year.