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| WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND RIO | ||
Rio Wins 2016 Olympics in a First for South America By JULIET MACUR COPENHAGEN — When Rio de Janeiro was elected host city for the 2016 Olympic Games on Friday, the room where its bid team gathered turned into a boisterous party with members in uniform navy or moss green blazers hugging, dancing, crying and waving Brazilian flags. The bid leader, Carlos Arthur Nuzman, yelled, “We did it! We did it!”
Rio and Chicago had gone into the day considered the favorites, ahead of Tokyo and Madrid. But by the time Rio was chosen by the International Olympic Committee to become the first South American city to host the Olympics, the Chicago delegation and its star-studded supporters were nowhere in sight. They had already left the building. Despite the support of President Obama, who flew in specifically to address the I.O.C. voters, Chicago finished last, out of the running in the first round of voting, with a paltry 18 of a total 94 votes. Tokyo received 22, with Rio getting 26 and Madrid 28. In each round, until one city gains a majority, the low vote-getter is eliminated. After Chicago was tossed aside, nearly all of its votes went straight to Rio in the second round. In the third, after Tokyo was eliminated, Rio won handily, 66-32. The chance to bring the Olympics to a continent that had never hosted the Games worked in Rio’s favor. During its presentation, the bid team showed a graphic of the world and marked all the places that have held an Olympics. South America was glaringly bare.
“There was absolutely no flaw in the bid,” the I.O.C. president, Jacques Rogge, said. Chicago officials had worked nearly four years and spent nearly $50 million to bring the Summer Olympics to the United States for the first time since the 1996 Atlanta Games. There were many possible explanations for Chicago’s spectacular failure, but little consensus. Some pointed to the regional bloc voting in the treacherous first round. Others said some voters, assuming Chicago was a lock to advance because of the presence of Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, might have taken their early votes elsewhere. Many also blamed the rocky relationship between the United States Olympic Committee and the I.O.C. Others said there was no explaining it. “Everybody was shocked at that result,” said Rene Fasel, an I.O.C. member from Switzerland, regarding Chicago’s first-round ouster. “Everybody expected Chicago and Rio, everybody. It was really strange, and I feel really sorry. If it would have been Chicago and Rio in the end, it would have been much closer.” Anita DeFrantz, one of two I.O.C. members from the United States, said she could not believe how the vote unfolded, particularly after the Obamas’ visit. “I hate the fact that these elegant people were here and then our country got treated that way,” she said. Beyond showing an apparent indifference to the United States’ star power, the I.O.C. vote was interpreted as a repudiation of the U.S.O.C., which has been in upheaval over the past year and has struggled to gain a favorable standing within the I.O.C. “It was a defeat for the U.S.O.C., not for Chicago,” said Denis Oswald, an I.O.C. member from Switzerland.
Mr. Oswald said that 10 to 15 fellow I.O.C. members had approached him recently wanting to discuss issues related to the U.S.O.C. He said that changes in U.S.O.C. leadership “has not helped,” either, and that it was clear that the Chicago bid and the U.S.O.C. were not united. Stephanie Streeter, the acting chief executive of the U.S.O.C., and Larry Probst, the committee’s chairman, have taken their posts in the last year and have run into problems with the I.O.C., most notably over their stalled plan for an Olympic television network and their share of the Games’ network and corporate sponsorship contracts. “The United States, within the Olympic movement, hasn’t engaged as well as we could have for a long time,” said Robert Ctvrtlik, the U.S.O.C. vice president for international relations. “There’s a lot of politics going on. This isn’t just on the merits. I don’t think it’s anti-American. Maybe we still don’t have the horsepower to do some of the politicking within the movement.” For the first time, a United States president met with the I.O.C. on behalf of an American bid — which U.S.O.C. officials called the country’s strongest bid ever — but that was not enough. This followed New York City’s failed bid for the 2012 Summer Games, a second-round exit after winning only 19 votes. “All we know is that the first round is always the most dangerous and obviously we didn’t have a large region of support,” Chicago’s bid leader, Patrick G. Ryan, said. “We wanted to bring home the victory and we didn’t. It wasn’t our day.” On his flight back to Washington on Friday, Mr. Obama said he was disappointed about Chicago’s finish. “I have no doubt that it was the strongest bid possible and I’m proud that I was able to come in and help make that case in person,” Mr. Obama said after arriving back in Washington. In Rio, officials declared a holiday for city and state employees. While tens of thousands of people had begun the celebration on the city’s Copacabana beach, where people dressed in shorts and bikinis jumped to samba music, the scene was different earlier in Chicago. All over the city, people responded to the city’s elimination with astonished silence, blank looks and questions. The word there had been that Chicago would survive at least until a late round of voting, if not win. Planned celebrations at schools, parks and restaurants ended abruptly Friday morning. “It’s sad,” said Marshall Burt, a lawyer, as he stood in Daley Plaza, in the heart of Chicago’s Loop, where thousands had gathered for what they expected to be a victory rally. “But I think probably the world is still notreal keen on America.” He added later, “Chicago may still have the image of gangsters and corruption.” The I.O.C. member Kevan Gosper, of Australia, said the few votes cast for Chicago could have been an accident. “There might have been an effort on the part of the Asian group to protect Tokyo in the first round,” he said. Richard W. Pound, an I.O.C. member from Canada, said that Chicago might have been eliminated early on purpose. “I think there were a lot of people saying, if we don’t get it, we’ll support you, but we’ve got to stop Chicago,” he said. “That’s sport politics, not anything else. It’s election management. The Europeans and the Asians are much better at this than we are.” Some members of the Olympic movement in the United States said they were bracing for this moment. Skip Gilbert, the chief executive of USA Triathlon and the chairman of the National Governing Bodies Association, said he planned to meet with other executives at national governing bodies to decide what to do next. One option would be to recommend a change in leadership, he said. “I think it comes down to when you have a leadership that has no real connection to the Olympic movement before they walk into their roles, what would you expect that they’re going to be able to do in terms of being leaders of an Olympic movement?” he said. “Unfortunately it seems like — and the vote kind of confirms it — that we were doomed to fail from the beginning.” Still, Chicago planned for victory. The bid team reserved a hall in downtown here, where they had planned to celebrate with about 500 supporters. When the team arrived, the crowd began singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” said Michael Plant, a U.S.O.C. board member here as part of Chicago’s delegation. Geography, though, was Rio’s strongest point. It helped the city overcome concerns about security in the Brazilian city. There were also concerns that the country would be overextended because it is hosting the 2014 World Cup. It helped Rio that the I.O.C. has a history of trying to effect change with its choices for bid cities. The committee awarded the 2008 Summer Games to Beijing, hoping to help open China to the world. In 1981, it gave the 1988 Summer Games to Seoul to help usher in a civilian government. By choosing Rio, it could help the country develop faster and could bring an entire continent of people closer to the Olympic movement. “Today is the most emotional day in my life, the most exciting day of my life,” President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil said. “I’ve never felt more pride in Brazil. Now, we are going to show the world we can be a great country. We aren’t the United States, but we are getting there, and we will get there.”
Rio de Janeiro - 2014 World Cup Rio de Janeiro is expected to be the host of the final match of the World Cup in 2014. The confirmation as one of the 12 official host cities in Brazil was announced during the meeting in Nassau (Bahamas) on 30-31 May 2009, where the FIFA Executive Committee, chaired by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, confirmed the 12 Host Cities for the 2014 World Cup Brazil. The stage for the final match in 1950, Maracanã Stadium will have the chance for a “re-match” since the Brazilian team lost to Uruguay here during the 1950 World Cup.
The slogan is ready: “Carioca Heritage, a Brazilian Monument”. The Stadium will face a huge reform and remodeling to become one of the most modern sport arenas in the world. R$430 million reais are expected to be invested in this work. The New Maracanã Complex will feature new parking area, Commercial Centre, Metro Station, Supervia Station, new Hotel Tower, New Aquatic Centre and New Olympic Track.
The capital of Minas Gerais State, Belo Horizonte expects to be appointed as the host of the World Cup opening, which is also targeted by São Paulo and Brasília. The other selected destinations are Cuiabá, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife and Salvador. For updated information, please visit http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/brazil2014/ Rio...Best and happiest city in the world
Lifestyle Feature Ever since Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers appeared in the 1933 film Flying Down to Rio, the world has been fascinated with Rio de Janeiro. Popular perception of the city is infused with images of starry-eyed youngsters dancing into the dusk, backed by imposing mountains and dark sea. That view has propelled Rio to the top of our list of the world's happiest cities. Famous for its annual Carnaval festival (starting Feb. 13 next year), the second-largest metropolis in South America finished first among 50 cities in a recent survey conducted by policy advisor Simon Anholt and market researcher GfK Custom Research North America. "Brazil is associated with all these qualities of good humor and good living and Carnaval," says Anholt. "Carnaval is very important--it's the classic image that people have of Rio, and it's an image of happiness." Free Beyoncé concert on Copacabana Beach
The free Beyoncé concert on Copacabana Beach still has not been confirmed. It has been floating around for months, but there has yet to be any confirmation by her sources. One music site has published Beyoncé concert dates, including the Copacabana Beach show along with more dates in February 2010. In addition to the New Year's Eve show, highlights would include a concert in Rio de Janiero at the Maracanã and a Salvador date with Brazilian Ivete Sangalo. 31 December 2009 Copacabana Beach - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil 3 February 2010 Morumbi Stadium - São Paulo, SP, Brazil 5 February 2010 Gigantinho - Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil 7 February 2010 Maracanã Stadium - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil 8 February 2010 HSBC Center - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil 10 February 2010 Pituaçu Stadium - Salvador, BA, Brazil w/ Ivete Sangalo If Beyoncé does play a New Year's Eve show on Copacabana, she'll be following a storied tradition of Brazilian and international superstars playing for free on the beach in Brazil. Brazil Economy Hitting on All Cylinders Today saw more evidence of Brazil's strong competitive position in world markets. Brazil's retail sales jumped in October at the fastest pace in a year, prompting traders to raise bets that the central bank will lift interest rates in the first half of 2010. Brazil also sold $500 million of 10-year bonds in the country's fifth international dollar bond offering this year. Brazil sold the bonds to offer a 4.75 percent yield, or 1.14 percentage points more than U.S. Treasuries, Brazil's Treasury said.
In dollar terms, the Brazilian Bovespa index is up over 135% this year. And finally this from American billionaire real estate mogul Sam Zell. When asked what he would do in the midst of today's real estate meltdown, he said: "I want to buy Brazil. It'll surpass even China in economic power due to its natural resources and the fact that it is a long-standing democracy with a history of respect for property rights. This will reflect on real estate demand and appreciation." Brazil – "The Country of the Future" Has Arrived “Brasil is the country of the future. And it always will be.” That oft-repeated swipe at Brasil’s vast unfilled potential is getting old – fast. For Brasil, the future’s here.
The main reason Brasil is stepping right to the front of the world stage is oil. Lots of oil. As was evident in the years before the current global mess, in a healthy economic environment, Brasil holds a lot of cards. Brasil is sitting on the most abundant farmland in the world. Brasil’s in the vanguard of the green economy, due to its successfully aggressive push into sugar-cane ethanol, biodiesel and hydroelectric power. And what’s occurred in the past few years off the Brasilian coast has been nothing short of miraculous. Brasil just became a net energy exporter in 2006. Then, fortuitously, in 2007 the Tupi oil field was discovered off the Brasilian coast. Brasil announced that the Tupi field held some five billion to eight billion barrels of high quality crude oil and natural gas, effectively pushing Brasil’s total reserves past 17 billion barrels. At that point, the Brasilian President, Mr. da Silva declared that “Brasil would obviously participate in OPEC,” the global oil cartel. In 2008, Brasil's currency hit a nine-year-high against the dollar. Inflation came under control and millions of Brasilians began ascending towards a new middle class. With lots of room to grow. The volume of outstanding credit in Brasil in February 2008 was 34 percent of GDP. Compare that figure to 201 percent in the U.S., according to the World Bank. The rating agency Standard & Poor's deemed Brasil "investment grade," boosting the country's stocks to all-time highs. Brasil is the world’s leading exporter of meat, coffee, sugar, fruit juices and the second biggest exporter of grains. They’re also major players in exporting timber, iron ore, aircraft and more. Foreign investment in Brasil has become very strong and is accelerating. In February 2008, Brasil announced they’d paid off all their foreign debt. The northern city of Natal is currently building what will be the world’s 5th-largest airport, which may transform the way foreigners enter the country. And it will open up a new region, the beautiful northeast with it’s pristine beaches, to international tourism. Also in 2008 came the biggest news of all. The state-owned energy company Petrobras announced another oil discovery which has some people calling the president "Sheikh Lula." A massive oil field was found off the Rio de Janeiro coast.
This one, known as the Carioca field, dwarfed the Tupi discovery. And it’s caused a political earthquake in South America with aftershocks rippling through Venezuela, the U.S. and all the way to the Middle East. Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez nervously jested that Mr. da Silva was now an “oil magnate.” Experts have said the finds could hold up to 80 billion barrels of oil or more - enough to turn Brasil into a major oil exporter. Brasil is poised to not just solidify its position as an exporter, within 10-15 years they could become a major player in OPEC. Signaling it’s time to get this party started, last week Brasil said they’d successfully extracted the first barrel of oil from the Tupi fields.
Lula is the most popular leader in the Americas, with a 70% approval rating - 9% higher than Barack Obama's And who’d ever want to begrudge the Brasilians? They have no enemies. Brasil has the distinction of being the only country that ever developed a nuclear weapon – and then dismantled their program unbidden. They reasoned that they couldn’t ever imagine a scenario where they’d actually use it. Alas… If only the rest of the world were so enlightened. Of course, just as President Obama is trying to remedy our broken infrastructure, health care and education systems in the U.S., infrastructure and education are areas Brasil will need to fix to sustain their considerable economic momentum. But they are sitting on a royal flush, so to speak. The future’s so bright, they’re going to need shades, hats and lots of sunscreen for their leisure time on their gorgeous beaches. Mr. da Silva calls it “a miracle.” But their sudden good fortune doesn’t faze most laid-back Brasileiros. Any native knows all about futebol, Carnaval and the beach. And they also, instinctively, know “God is Brasilian.”
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