Rio 2016 organizers report on progress of Summer Games

Feb 12, 2010, 4:16 GMT

Whistler, Canada - Organizers of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro told the International Olympic Committee on Thursday that they have already taken steps forward in their planning.

'We're making significant progress,' Carlos Nuzman, the Rio 2016 organizing committee president and CEO, told the IOC Session on the eve of the Vancouver Winter Games.

Nuzman said that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has proposed a bill releasing 167 million US dollars for the planning of the Olympic Park as well as a new anti-doping laboratory.

Nuzman also addressed questions about the committee's improvement regarding transportation in the city's first progress report before the Olympians.

'Transport is a very important issue. That has made significant progress in improving what we promised during our candidature including a new metro link connecting Rio's two subway lines that has already increased capacity in the network by 200,000 journeys a day,' said Nuzman.

The Brazilian praised the work that Vancouver organizers have done to prepare the 2010 Winter Games and knows the visit with VANOC officials will help the organization for 2016.

'During our meetings with them we (saw) how professional they were. We hope that on the end of the Games they will succeed and have the best Olympic Winter Games ever,' said Nuzman.

Rio delegates are in Vancouver as part of the official IOC observers programme for future Olympic hosts. The IOC coordination committee for the 2016 event made its first visit to Rio last month.

Nuzman said he hopes Rio 2016 will leave a legacy well after the Summer Games.

'The vision is to bring to the youth of our region and country all the best that we can provide them and transform the sport country and develop not only the sport but the citizenship of the youth,' said Nuzman.