2016 Brazil Olympics

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Brazil National Team - FIFA world Cup 2014 - Brazil vs Colombia

2014-07-05T12:20:00.002-07:00

World Cup 2014 BRAZIL vs COLOMBIA 2-1 4th of July - SIMULATION

2014-07-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

Neymar Jr. - Top 10 Goals, Top 10 Skills

2014-07-04T21:58:00.001-07:00

Who is Neymar?

2014-07-04T21:54:00.005-07:00

Who is Neymar?

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior born 5 February 1992, commonly known as Neymar or Neymar Jr., is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Spanish club FC Barcelona in La Liga and the Brazilian national team as a forward.

At the age of 19, Neymar won the 2011 South American Footballer of the Year award, after coming third in 2010. He followed this up by winning it again in 2012. In 2011 Neymar received nominations for the FIFA Ballon d'Or, where he came 10th, and the FIFA Puskás Award for Goal of the Year, which he won. He is known for his acceleration, speed, dribbling, finishing and ability with both feet. His playing style has earned him critical acclaim, with fans, media and former players drawing comparison to former Brazil forward Pelé, who has called Neymar "an excellent player", while Ronaldinho has stated "he will be the best in the world".

Neymar joined Santos in 2003 and, after rising through the ranks, was promoted to their first team squad. He made his debut for Santos in 2009 and was voted the Best Young Player of the 2009 Campeonato Paulista. Further awards followed, with Neymar being voted best player as Santos won the 2010 Campeonato Paulista, and also being top scorer in the 2010 Copa do Brasil with 11 goals. He finished the 2010 season with 42 goals in 60 games, as his club achieved the Double.

Neymar was again voted best player of the year in 2011 as his side retained the state title and Santos also winning the 2011 Copa Libertadores in which Neymar scored six goals in 13 appearances. He also played a key role in securing a Continental Double, Santos' first since 1963. He received the Bronze Ball in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, with Santos reaching the final, where they were defeated 4–0 by Barcelona.

Neymar has represented Brazil at Under-17, Under-20 and senior levels. On 10 August 2010, at the age of 18, he made his debut for the Seleção in a friendly match against the United States; he scored from a header in the 28th minute, contributing to Brazil's 2–0 win. Neymar was the top scorer of the 2011 South American Youth Championship with nine goals, including two in the final, in the 6–0 win against Uruguay, helping Brazil to win their eleventh title in the competition.

Neymar was selected as part of Luiz Felipe Scolari's Brazil squad for the 2013 Confederations Cup on home soil. For the tournament he was assigned the iconic number 10 shirt. On 30 June, Neymar scored Brazil's second goal in the 3–0 final win over Spain. Neymar's performances saw him awarded the golden ball for the best player of the tournament. With 35 goals in 52 matches for Brazil, he is the sixth highest goalscorer for his national team.

In 2012 and 2013, SportsPro named him the most marketable athlete in the world. In December 2013, Neymar was ranked by The Guardian as the sixth best player in the world.

Neymar vs Croatia (12/06/2014) WORLD CUP 2014

2014-06-28T09:19:00.003-07:00

All Goals & Highlights Brazil vs Croatia 2 1 World Cup 2014

2014-06-28T09:14:00.002-07:00

FIFA World Cup 2014 Opening Ceremony at Sao Paulo, Brazil

2014-06-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

WORLD CUP 2014 and OLYMPICS 2016: works only starting in Brazil

2010-07-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Brazil's Urban Mobility Ahead of the World Cup and Olympics

2010-07-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

As Brazil prepares to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics, its cities are trying to improve their public transit systems.

The City Fix's Victoria Broadus takes a look at some of the plans underway and the roughly $6.5 billion the government will spend to update its urban mobility systems.

"The federal government has set aside R$7.68 billion (US$4.34 billion) for 'urban mobility' infrastructure improvements in host cities; state and local governments have committed an additional R$3.8 billion (about US$2.15 billion), bringing the total to R$11.48 billion (US$6.48 billion). Private investments will increase this figure. Ideally, transit projects should be nearly complete by the Confederations Cup, which will Brazil will host in 2013 as a prelude to the World Cup.

Federal funds are being administered by Pro-Transporte, a Ministry of Cities program with the objective of promoting 'collective urban transportation projects for physical, economic, and social development, improvements in quality of life, and environmental preservation.'"

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Brazil invites bids for Olympic train

2010-07-19T19:44:00.000-07:00

BRASILIA: A high-speed train between Brazil's largest cities, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, should be ready in time for the 2016 Olympics, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said yesterday.

"I think that it's completely feasible that we'll inaugurate the project by 2016," Lula said .

"We want the project to be ready for the 2016 Olympic Games." The Brazilian government yesterday published
specifications of the project, with an estimated cost of 33 billion reals (RM30b). It has attracted interest from companies from Europe to Asia. Companies have until Nov 29 to present their bids, before a decision is made on Dec 16.

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2016 Brazil Olympics

2010-07-16T18:51:00.000-07:00

Security ops for 2014 World Cup

2010-07-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

By Sorrel Moseley-Williams

Although the 2010 World Cup final will take place in South Africa in a mere 24 hours, Brazil has already shifted the current host slightly left of centre stage by confirming its security consultant for the worlds biggest sporting event in 2014.

Israeli firm International Security & Defence Systems (ISDS), a consultancy involved in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, was confirmed as the Brazilian choice for the next FIFA World Cup on Thursday evening.
Although Sao Paulo, Latin Americans wealthiest and most populous city, has yet not been confirmed as a host city, it is currently Rio de Janeiro with the residents from its 600-plus favelas which could up the urban crime rate by targeting visiting fans.

A few weeks ago, Brazils Tourism Minister Barretto Filho said the 2014 host nation would attract more than five million tourists, a substantially larger figure than South Africa which has supposedly received around 350,000.

But dealing with high visitor numbers does not pose a problem for ISDS. Leo Gleser, the security firms president and founder, spoke to the Herald from South Africa.

“In fact we are involved with this years Shanghai Expo which has 78 million people visiting over the course of six months. We are not afraid of dealing with those numbers.

“Next year, Brazil will be hosting the Military Games, a huge event which is bigger than the Olympics with 132 countries participating. The G20 Summit will take place in Rio in 2012, the Confederations Cup will also be held in Brazil in 2013, and the Olympics take place in 2016. It’s a catapult of six years, and Mr. Lula made it very clear today that Brazil is a very serious country.

“I believe that Brazil has a huge economical resolve and that Lula has done a lot of things to put everybody within this economic cycle to get people working and eating.”

Although Brazil is renowned for its economic and sporting prowess, despite the national team only reaching the quarter finals this year, the favela underbelly is also synonymous with the country. With thousands of people living in 600-plus shantytowns, it seems likely that urban crime could be an issue in four years time.
“Brazil isnt fighting its integrating people from the favelas into a better life. Some countries think that security is about shooting. But sometimes security is about understanding the needs of the people and their needs are to work, to be educated, to have healthcare and infrastructure Brazil is now relocating people from the favelas.”
Having spent the past two and a half weeks in Johannesburg, Gleser added what he would be taking away from the 2010 World Cup. “I’ve been here many times and there has been a big change from the people. Everyone is very welcoming and well-educated nobody tries to cheat you and the services industry has been very good. All the bars and cafes in Johannesburg are full, but the reality is that South Africa is not easy — i’ts a problematic country.”

Also discussing the security issue for 2014, Ricardo Teixeira, Brazil’s soccer federation president, said on Thursday: “We sent a huge security group to South Africa, they were here for a few days and they had to analyze the situation and pick on those issues that needed to be sorted.”

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Brazil Gears Up for 2014 Challenge

2010-07-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

By Fabian Werner

When South Africa switches off the World Cup lights on Sunday, the focus will switch to 2014 hosts Brazil, a country desperately hoping to avoid the pitfalls of 1950.

Back then, their much-vaunted national team slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Uruguay in the final, watched by 200,000 people crammed into Rio's mythical Maracana stadium.

"To lose in 2010 could be understood, but to lose in 2014 would be a repeat of 1950 and this is something nobody can imagine," said Ricardo Teixeira, the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) who is also head of the 2014 organising committee.

Brazil is still mourning the failure of its 2010 team to win a sixth World Cup with Dunga's side losing to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals in South Africa.

Their under-performing national team has proved a worrying concern, a dilemma which will be compounded if Brazil, also hosting the 2016 Olympics, fails to deliver a memorable tournament in 2014.

Work on stadia has progressed fitfully with the planned arena of Morumbi in Sao Paulo, a teeming city of 17 million and the country's largest, being cut from the programme by world governing body FIFA for failing to deliver on financial guarantees.

The refurbishment of the Maracana is also causing headaches with tenders for the work estimated at costing 400 million dollars already postponed once.

So far, FIFA had approved six of the 12 host cities - Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Cuiaba, Curitiba, Manaus and Porto Alegre.

The construction or renovation of stadia form part of a list of 86 government-backed projects which will cost a total of 13.2 billion dollars.

Organisers expect around three million extra tourists during the tournament, an increase of 79 percent on the traditional annual figure, adding to the problems of choked airports, some of which are close to "operational collapse", according to one study.

"The problem for 2014 is the airports, the airports and the airports," admitted Texeira, during a presentation of the 2014 tournament he hosted in Johannesburg.

"But contracts have been agreed and this question will receive the utmost priority. We have developed a communal transport system."

The bill to renovate 16 airport terminals has shot up to seven billion dollars in order to boost capacity of 66 percent.

Former Brazil star Romario, a world champion in 1994, is doing his bit for the 2014 organisers and said: "I hope it will be a chance to show you the true face of Brazil. You will see what football means to Brazilians. I am sure the atmosphere will be unprecedented.

"We can expect a great fiesta - and I hope we become world champions."

Brazil is about to be an epicentre of sport.

As well as the World Cup, the country will stage the 2013 Confederations Cup, the 2015 Copa America and the 2016 Olympics.

"We will organise the best World Cup ever seen on the planet," boasted Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

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Indycar Series to Begin Season in Brazil

2010-03-06T03:21:00.000-08:00

By Curt Cavin

For all the talk of a strained economic climate and challenging television package, the Izod IndyCar Series will start its season next week with one of its largest fields of the past 10 years.Thursday's confirmation that Milka Duno will drive one of Dale Coyne Racing's two cars means the series has 22 confirmed entries for the street course race in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with two more likely forthcoming: Dale Coyne's second car, driven either by Alex Lloyd or Firestone Indy Lights champion J.R. Hildebrand, and a car at KV Racing Technology for newcomer James Rossiter.

IndyCar opened 2009 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with 22 cars, and the series has had more than 24 at the season's first race only once (25 in 2008) since changing equipment in 2003. The average size of the season-opening field over the past seven years is 21.3.

Brazilian rookie Ana Beatriz's deal with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is for only the race in her hometown, but various part-time deals are in place to strengthen the field at other events.

Sarah Fisher Racing has Sarah Fisher scheduled for nine races, the first March 28 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Fisher has former Indy Lights champion Jay Howard signed for five more races.

Davey Hamilton has a three-race arrangement with the reconfigured Luczo Dragon/de Ferran Motorsports team that has Raphael Matos set for all 17 races. Paul Tracy figures to have at least three events -- Indianapolis, Toronto and Edmonton -- as the fourth driver at KV.

Ryan Hunter-Reay's ride at Andretti Autosport hasn't been confirmed for a full season, but it is expected to be. Team 3G plans to start in St. Pete with Richard Antinucci. Mario Moraes figures to land somewhere.

League chief steward Brian Barnhart likes the lineup, although he knows Graham Rahal and Tomas Scheckter are among those currently rideless drivers who need to be part of it.

At issue is a lack of U.S. drivers. Only Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti have full-time rides.At the first race will be six drivers from Brazil (Helio Castroneves, Vitor Meira, Beatriz, Tony Kanaan, Matos and Mario Romancini), four from England (Dan Wheldon, Justin Wilson, Mike Conway and Rossiter), two from Australia (Will Power and Ryan Briscoe), two from Japan (Takuma Sato and Hideki Mutoh), two from Venezuela (Duno and E.J. Viso), and one each from New Zealand (Scott Dixon), Scotland (Dario Franchitti), Canada (Alex Tagliani) and Switzerland (Simona de Silvestro).

The Atlantics series that once was the steppingstone to the Champ Car World Series has ceased operations. De Silvestro won a series-high four races last season. . . . The Lotus association with IndyCar this season is expected to be announced as part of Rossiter's deal with KV. . . . Townsend Bell's Indianapolis 500 ride with Sam Schmidt Motorsports will be sponsored by Herbalife. . . . South Bend native Ryan Newman is scheduled to make his 300th NASCAR Sprint Cup start in Sunday's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. . . . Seven racing luminaries have been tabbed for induction into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on Aug. 25 in Detroit: Dale Armstrong (NHRA driver and crew chief), Joie Chitwood (stuntman and seven-time Indy 500 starter), Alan Kulwicki (1992 NASCAR champion), Jeremy McGrath (eight-time AMA Supercross champion), Ken Squier (TV and radio announcer), Jerry Titus (magazine writer and Trans Am champion) and Rich Vogler (USAC champion and five-time Indy 500 starter). . . . Sage Karam, 15, Nazareth, Pa., was hired by Michael Andretti to drive an Andretti Autosport car in the USF2000 driver development program.

Olympics | Golf, rugby gain approval for 2016 Games

2009-10-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

By The Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Golf has a tee time for 2016 in Brazil, and top-ranked Tiger Woods can hardly wait.

The sport returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1904 amid the spectacular backdrop of Rio de Janeiro's sand and sea, giving Woods the chance to do something even the great Jack Nicklaus never did — win Olympic gold.

Olympic officials had no sooner voted golf in — along with rugby — than Woods and his fellow players cheered their chance to finally compete on sport's biggest stage. They will compete for Olympic medals, but the greater promise is that the game catches on in countries where golfers are few and golf courses are even fewer.

"I think it's great for golf," Woods said from the Presidents Cup in San Francisco. "It's a perfect fit for the Olympics, and I think we are all looking forward to golf getting into the Olympics."

The vote for golf was expected, after a campaign by the sport's leaders to bring it back for the first time since George Lyon and the United States won gold medals at the Olympics in St. Louis. They promoted it as a way to bring a sport once reserved for the elite to the masses, even though it will add 120 men and women to a sports festival already considered bloated by some in the Olympic movement.

Nicklaus said Olympic gold would not trump the green jacket given the winner of the Masters or the Claret Jug awarded in the British Open, but would be seen as something hugely important in countries where the game doesn't mean nearly as much at this time.

"For most of the world it will be a new game, with a new goal to achieve an Olympic gold medal," Nicklaus said.

Golf was approved 63-27 with two abstentions, while rugby won near unanimous acclaim in an 81-8 vote with one abstention.

They are the first sports added since triathlon and taekwondo in 2000.

Notes

• At least a handful of people in the Olympic movement support the U.S. Olympic Committee leadership — members of the USOC board, who voted in support of embattled chairman Larry Probst and chief executive officer Stephanie Streeter. The board also committed to finding Streeter's replacement by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, leaders of America's Olympic sports organizations called for Streeter's and Probst's immediate resignations.

• Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen has withdrawn from the first Grand Prix figure-skating event of the season because of tendinitis in her right calf.

The 2006 runner-up at the Turin Games is making a comeback after not competing since the 2006 world championships. But she said she will not skate at the Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris after consultation with an orthopedic surgeon. Cohen, 24, said she is confident she will be ready for Skate America, which starts Nov. 12 in Lake Placid, N.Y.

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Olympic Growth Expected For Brazils Real Estate Market

2009-10-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

by Melissa Chappell

The recent news that Brazil is to host the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro extends as not only fantastic opportunities for the country in the sectors of economy, tourism, infrastructure and sporting awareness, yet also foreign investment.

Brazil won the victory to host the Olympics against Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo, all located in countries that have hosted the games in the past. Following three previous attempts to become a host country, Brazil has finally won. Especially beneficial to Brazil is the Olympic bid win following the FIFA World Cup host position. The two highly important sporting events will be held within two years of each other, creating a wealth of growth opportunities throughout the country.

Having been positioned as one of the world’s largest economies for several years, predictions on economic growth for 2010 has began to soar following the Olympic hosting announcement. Even the Sao Paolo stock exchange has seen impressive growth in the days immediately following the announcement, especially in companies relating to tourism and infrastructure.

The growth of Brazil’s economy will assist with continued strength in the country’s real estate market. These increases are beneficial to investors for strong and steady capital appreciation potential.

Tourism clearly receives immediate benefits from the sporting events, set to increase considerably during the lead up. Accommodation and transport are being upgraded to cope with the demands of mass tourism from hosting major worldwide sporting events. The benefits of renewed interest in the region and continued mass market opportunities will assist buy-to-let investors, along with improving exit strategies to early investors.
Renovations and upgrading of airports around the country are being planned, along with new transport networks such as the high speed trains between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo.

Modern infrastructure developments have so far only been carried out in the north-east, where recent interest in tourism and real estate investments have been attracting strong influxes of European and North American investors.

The infrastructure developments will provide long awaited upgrades around the country, enabling improvements and modern construction. All of the upgrades, tourism, economic growth and awareness will be highly beneficial for present and future real estate investors to the country. Infrastructure and construction will also benefit the domestic population, assisting the growing nation of increasingly middle class residents.
Considered to present an important transformational opportunity for foreign investment in Brazil, the expected influx of buyers in the coming years will assist with bringing Brazil into an established market status.

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After Olympic party, hard work ahead for Brazil

2009-10-11T08:09:00.000-07:00

By TALES AZZONI - Associated Press Writer
RIO DE JANEIRO — As Rio awoke from a night of celebration after being awarded the 2016 Olympics, Brazil was already looking ahead to years of hard work in what will be a historic time in Latin America's biggest nation.

The world's two biggest sporting events will take place in Brazil a few years from now - the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics - and the country has little time to spare.

"We know the IOC decision has increased our responsibility," Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said. "We know what we need to do. The word from now on is work, work and work."

Critics have questioned whether Brazil's infrastructure can handle such large events, and whether the country is safe enough to welcome the participants and tens of thousands of visitors into the country. Others say the events will help Brazil's emerging status as a world power - with the country predicted as the world's fifth-largest economy by 2016 - and serve as a catalyst for change and improvement to more than 190 million people.

"Brazil needed the Olympics. We needed this challenge," Silva said in Copenhagen just hours after Rio beat Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago. "We only needed one chance to prove that we are a great nation and that we have the capacity to do well just like any other country in the world."

Soccer's governing body FIFA awarded Brazil the World Cup in 2007 for the first time since 1950, and the International Olympic Committee on Friday decided to bring the games to South America for the first time.

It will be the fourth time the same nation hosts the Olympics and World Cup consecutively - Mexico did it in 1968 and 1970, Germany in 1972 and 1974 and the United States in 1994 and 1996.

"That's something I didn't think I would see one day in Brazil," 78-year-old retiree Claudio Correa said Saturday while strolling on Ipanema beach. "Two big events like these right here. It certainly puts Brazil's name right up there."

Silva said that in addition to giving Brazil the status of a "first-class nation," the high-profile competitions also give Brazil a boost in pride and self-esteem.

"No one is happier than Brazil's people," Silva said. "But maybe because we were a colony for such a long time, we always had this sense of inferiority, of not being important. We always thought that we couldn't do what the others could."

With a sound technical project and a lot of passion, the Brazilians and Rio de Janeiro convinced the IOC they were finally ready to host the Olympics, after failed attempts in 1936, 2004 and 2012.

But there is a lot to do before Brazil is ready to stage the two major competitions.

Despite natural beauties and fun-loving people, the nation also has to deal with poverty, violence and other problems inherent to a developing country. Among the problems that will have to be addressed ahead of 2016 are security and transportation.

"We'll have to sleep less and do more," Silva said.

Officials are already getting to work, and members of the new Rio 2016 Organizing Committee met with IOC officials on Saturday in Copenhagen to discuss future actions. Committee President Carlos Arthur Nuzman said several meetings in the next few days will be needed to begin organizing the city's plans.

Back home, media praised Rio's achievement with front-page headlines across the nation.

"Rio deserves it," the O Dia daily said.

The sports daily Lance wrote that the "The dream became reality."

Some analysts, however, pointed to the challenges and possible drawbacks the country will have by organizing two major competitions in a short period of time.

"This decision is great and we have to celebrate," columnist and TV commentator Antero Greco said. "But we know there will be a lot of public money involved in these competitions and we have the responsibility to make sure this money is going to be well used."

There was a lot of criticism because of a budget overrun following the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio, and there are concerns the same may happen with the Olympics, which will cost Brazil $14.4 billion.

A study by Brazil's sports ministry said the games are expected to create 120,000 jobs each year across Brazil until 2016, plus 130,000 jobs per year the following 10 years. Tourism also likely will get a boost, as will the hotel industry.

In addition, funding to crime-fighting programs has already been granted to Rio and more is on the way. The city will likely host the World Cup's main media center and FIFA's headquarters in 2014.

The Cariocas, as Rio citizens are known, celebrated wildly on Copacabana when IOC President Jacques Rogge announced Rio as the winner Friday. The party then moved to the beachside bars for the traditional choppe (draft beer) and caipirinha - a Brazilian cocktail made from sugarcane liquor, fresh fruit, sugar and ice.

"There is a lot of reason for Brazilians to be celebrating," said 25-year-old Ecuadorean Gabriela Baroja. "Brazil will become a better country."

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Rio 2016

2009-10-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

Brazil to invest for 2016 Olympics

2009-10-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

There is some big news that Brazil is set to invest £9.5bn in infrastructure in hosting the Fifa World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Olympic Games.

After Rio de Janeiro was announced as the 2016 Olympic Games host city last Friday, the country anticipates a rise in the number of congresses and corporate events in summing up all these sporting events, and a 15% increase in overall number of visitors.

Brazil Tourist Office Director Glauco Chris Fuzinatto said: "It is fantastic news. Infrastructure and accommodation need to be redeveloped and increased, but Brazil has a very good infrastructure for conference and incentive travel events."

The Brazil Tourist Office is also targeting UK buyers with a travel-trade fam trip called Destination Brazil Showcase for 40 UK leisure and corporate travel organisers by end of November.

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Lula is proudest president in the world after Rio win

2009-10-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

By Pedro Fonseca

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he was the proudest president in the world on Saturday, hours after Rio de Janeiro had won the right to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

Although the spotlight was firmly on U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle's campaign in the Danish capital for Chicago's bid before the vote on Friday, Lula upstaged his counterpart to snatch a historic victory for Rio, which will be the first South American city to host the Games.

"It was extraordinary the emotion we put into our presentation," Lula told reporters. "I almost cried two times during my speech (to the International Olympic Committee)."

"After we won, I was relaxed and cried. I remembered all the things I had gone through in my life, things that apparently were impossible to happen... I am the proudest president in the world," the former steel and union worker said.
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Rio de Janeiro won a resounding vote from the International Olympic Committee, rebuffing Obama, who had lobbied for his adopted hometown, becoming the first sitting U.S. President to attend an IOC session.

Despite the so-called Obama factor, Chicago went out in the first round of voting. Tokyo followed in a second round and Rio won more than twice the number of votes in the last round against its final rival, Madrid.

SOUTH AMERICAN GAMES

Lula, who wept uncontrollably long after the IOC announcement, had been the driving forced behind the bid for the past three years with his strong personal and vocal commitment.

There were no tears on Saturday though as Lula joked with reporters, clearly relishing Rio's victory, and speaking for more than an hour.

"I am realizing only now. During the night I woke several times and could not believe Rio had won," he said.

"The South American countries are feeling they also won, because they will participate as never before. Can you imagine how many Argentines, Uruguayans, Paraguayans and Peruvians will go to Brazil? It is not only a Rio Olympics, it is Brazil's Olympics."

Lula said he had received a congratulatory phone call from Obama, who had left before the voting, as well as most heads of state from South American countries, including Venezuela's Hugo Chavez.

Tropical Brazil will be in the sports spotlight for several years to come with the country also hosting the 2014 soccer World Cup.

Lula joked it was now time to bid for the Winter Olympics as well.

"With the climate change, everything is possible. We already have some places in southern Brazil with snow, so we need just a little more," he said.

(Writing by Karolos Grohmann, Editing by Paul Radford)

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