Mayor Cesar Maia, in a secretaries' meeting held this Thursday, Dec. 20, at the Gavea Planetarium, in Rio, confirmed that Rio will provide full support to the Rio bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

"From now on, the entire city will be engaged in bringing the Games to Rio de Janeiro. The City Government is providing all the necessary guarantees to make this ambitious dream come true", stated the Rio Mayor.

At the time, the President of the Brazilian Olympic Committee and Rio 2016 Bid Commission, Carlos Arthur Nuzman, delivered the Olympic Personality Trophy to the Rio Mayor. The homage paid to Cesar Maia was a thank-you for his and his secretaries' invaluable contribution to the success of the Rio 2007 Pan American Games.

For the President of COB, the support given by the Rio City Government from the very beginning of the Rio 2007 campaign was essential for the success of the Pan American Games.

"Mayor Cesar Maia provided government support right from the time Rio submitted its bid to host the Pan American Games. Since then he offered guarantees and improved the city's sports facilities. All the secretaries also contributed to the organization of the Rio 2007. I thank the mayor for his responsiveness and political will, as well as for his confidence in our capacity to organize the greatest sport event Brazil has ever hosted. The Pan American and Parapan American Games were the big test that gave us confidence to go on and submit a bid to host the Olympic Games", stated Carlos Arthur Nuzman.

Mayor Cesar Maia stated that the City Government's role is to make the hosting of the event possible and, through President Nuzman, praised the work developed by the Rio 2007 Organizing Committee.

"We all have a debt of gratitude to you for the success of the Pan. We conducted a research to evaluate the year 2007 and the Pan American Games were the event with highest visibility, having beaten even the City Government's administration and several public works. Congratulations to you all", the Rio Mayor celebrated.