Rio de Janeiro to Host 2016 Olympic Games
IOC President Jacques Rogge takes his seat for start of 121st International Olympic Committee session at Bella Center in Copenhagen, 02 Oct 2009 As the music wound down in the conference hall in Copenhagen, tension filled the air. Then the President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge acknowledged the effort put in by the cities that vied to host the games to be staged in seven years.
"I would like to thank the four candidate cities for their excellent bids and for their dedication to the Olympic games," said Jacques Rogge. "Your projects are of the highest quality. Your vision for the Olympic movement is inspiring. Thank you for your hard work, energy and commitment to sport and its values."
But as Rogge said, there can only be one winner and with that, there was nothing left to do but to open the envelope and reveal the 2016 host.
"Tonight, I have the honor to announce that the games of the 31st Olympiad are awarded to the city of [open envelope] Rio de Janeiro, " he said.
The cheers that erupted in Copenhagen were joined by the cheers of crowds in Rio de Janeiro that gathered for the historic announcement.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, left, Rio 2016 bid President Carlos Arthur Nuzman, center, celebrate with Brazilian delegation, 02 Oct 2009 Nearly 50,000 jumped and shouted in the Carnival-like atmosphere on Rio's Copacabana beach where two huge TV screens were erected.
They knew that for the first time ever, a South American city would be hosting the summer games.
The party is expected to go on well into the night.
It is the fourth time Rio de Janeiro has gone for the games. It came up short in 1936, 2004 and 2012.
For Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo, the message from Rio is do not give up and keep on trying.
As the music wound down in the conference hall in Copenhagen, tension filled the air. Then the President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge acknowledged the effort put in by the cities that vied to host the games to be staged in seven years."I would like to thank the four candidate cities for their excellent bids and for their dedication to the Olympic games," said Jacques Rogge. "Your projects are of the highest quality. Your vision for the Olympic movement is inspiring. Thank you for your hard work, energy and commitment to sport and its values."But as Rogge said, there can only be one winner and with that, there was nothing left to do but to open the envelope and reveal the 2016 host."Tonight, I have the honor to announce that the games of the 31st Olympiad are awarded to the city of [open envelope] Rio de Janeiro, " he said.The cheers that erupted in Copenhagen were joined by the cheers of crowds in Rio de Janeiro that gathered for the historic announcement.Nearly 50,000 jumped and shouted in the Carnival-like atmosphere on Rio's Copacabana beach where two huge TV screens were erected.They knew that for the first time ever, a South American city would be hosting the summer games.The party is expected to go on well into the night.It is the fourth time Rio de Janeiro has gone for the games. It came up short in 1936, 2004 and 2012.For Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo, the message from Rio is do not give up and keep on trying. E-mail Print
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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has selected Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.  IOC President Jacques Rogge made the announcement Friday in an IOC meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark on Friday.

The other three contestants, Chicago, Madrid, and Tokyo, were eliminated in earlier rounds of voting.  Chicago was the first candidate city eliminated in voting, with Tokyo being dropped in the second round.  Rio de Janeiro was left to compete with Madrid.
Brazilian president Lula said that his country would "deliver an unforgettable Games."
Rogge said that Rio de Janeiro had "a very strong technical bid, built upon a vision of the Games being a celebration of the athletes and sport, as well as providing the opportunity for the city, region and country to deliver their broader long-term aspirations for the future." He added that "this call to 'live your passion' clearly struck a chord with my fellow members, and we now look forward to seeing Rio de Janeiro staging the first Olympic Games on the continent of South America."

"Rio is ready. Give us this chance and you will not regret it," Brazil's president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had told the committee before the vote. "Rio will deliver an unforgettable Games. You will see for yourselves the passion, the energy and the creativity of the Brazilian people." 

"All those people who thought we had no ability to govern this country will now learn that we can host the Olympics," Lula had said after the winning city was named. "There is a lot of work ahead of us and we will start working early. The Brazilian people are good and generous and the country deserves it."