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Rio de Janeiro to host 2016 Olympic Games

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-10-03 01:05

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (L), Carlos Nuzman, Rio de Janeiro 2016 President (C), and former national soccer player Pele celebrate after Rio de Janiero was awarded the 2016 Olympic Games in Copenhagen October 2, 2009. Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Olympics after winning a landslide victory over Madrid in the final round of voting among International Olympic Committee members on Friday. [Agencies]

Reactions to Rio's winning

Following are immediate reactions to Rio de Janeiro winning the vote on Friday to host the 2016 Olympic Games, becoming the first South American city to do so.

BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA

"All those people who thought we had no ability to govern this country will now learn that we can host the Olympics."

"There is a lot of work ahead of us and we will start working early."

"The Brazilian people are good, generous and the country deserves it."

"The world has recognized that the time has come for Brazil."

DILMA ROUSSEFF, LULA'S CHIEF OF STAFF AND HIS PREFERRED CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY IN OCTOBER 2010 ELECTIONS

"It's very emotional, I am crying until now. It's a well-deserved victory for the Brazilian people and the people of Rio de Janeiro. We needed and wanted this victory because of the charm of Rio de Janeiro, which is a world-class capital. The time has come for Rio and for emerging markets."

Residents celebrate after Rio de Janeiro won the bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro October 2, 2009. [Agencies]

VINICIUS SILVA, EQUITY STRATEGIST AT MORGAN STANLEY

"Most people are forgetting that Brazil is already going to host the 2014 World Cup. If you put the two events together, the amount of investment that will have to be done, particularly on the infrastructure side, is significant. That will be probably a good growth story as you approach the date when these events will be hosted."

"Some things need to be done many years in advance of these events actually happening -- roads, rail, airports, energy to support the investments. (This is) an area where Brazil really lacks -- private investments, government investment in infrastructure. I think this will be positive from an economic growth perspective for Brazil.

RICARDO RIBEIRO, POLITICAL ANALYST, MCM CONSULTORES

"Certainly the favorable environment fuels optimism, the happiness over the choice increases the optimism and this indirectly can favor the government. But in terms of the elections, I think it's exaggerated to say that this will significantly alter the presidential race next year. I think that the electorate knows how to differentiate one thing from the other."

OBAMA SENIOR ADVISER DAVID AXELROD, SPEAKING TO CNN

"We knew it was a very competitive situation and there were four strong bids and that the hope was that we could help enhance Chicago's chances. But we knew that there were no guarantees. So we had no illusions going in that this was a done deal if he (President Barack Obama) showed up."

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