Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, sent a personal letter Monday to Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), confirming the support of the Brazilian government for Rio de Janeiro’s 2016 Summer Olympic Games bid.
The letter was delivered to Rogge during a meeting with Brazil’s Minister of Sports, Orlando Silva Junior.
In the letter Lula wrote about the visit he made to IOC headquarters and to the Olympic Museum in January 2003, and thanked the IOC President for his presence at the Rio 2007 Pan American Games last July.
During the meeting the Minister talked about the Ministry of Sports’ programs to develop sports in Brazil, including the financial support for athletes and the sports-specific Fiscal Incentives Law.
He mentioned the success of the Brazilian economy in face of the crisis that has recently hit the stock markets worldwide, while Rogge emphasized the importance of the 2014 World Cup for Brazil.
Carlos Arthur Nuzman, President of Brazil’s Olympic Committee, who was also at the meeting, mentioned the letter delivered to Rogge and said, “this is an additional demonstration of the full support and commitment of the Brazilian Government with the Rio de Janeiro’s bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games. President Lula’s personal letter reflects the level of his commitment with the Rio 2016 project”.
