Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympic Games 2016 News

[thepharoah 2,413]

24 minutes ago, Federer91 said:

 

Whatever happens in the Olympic village, stays in the Olympic village. 

[heywoodu 16,014]

38 minutes ago, Federer91 said:

 

Whatever happens in the Olympic village, stays in the Olympic village. 

Guess we'll have to find a way in 

[vinipereira 3,460]

Rio gets ready to party as hospitality houses revealed for Olympic and Paralympic Games
 

Everybody knows Rio de Janeiro is one of the best cities on the planet in which to party, but things will reach another level when the Olympic Games get underway. After details were revealed of the official hospitality houses that will spring up for the event, it seems athletes, visiting fans and the city's residents will be spoilt for choice when the action begins in August.

 

More than 30 countries, and a number of companies, have now confirmed the location for their official residences, many of which will be open to the public. At prime locations across the city, they will offer spectaular settings for watching the sport on big screens, socialising and experiencing the culture and gastronomy of each venue's host.

 

Hospitality houses have become a tradition of recent Olympic Games; at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 they were some of the most popular places for athletes and fans to let their hair down.

 

The German hospitality house on Leblon beach, complete with big screens and teutonic cuisine

 

Half of the houses in Rio will be open to the public, while entry to some country houses (such as those of the USA, Great Britain, China and Russia) will be restricted to athletes and invited guests only. Entry to most of the open houses will be free. Germany will have two houses; one open to the public on Leblon beach and another closed location in Barra da Tijuca.

 

There will be hospitality houses all over the centre of the city and in the main beach districts, located in a variety of cultural centres, sports clubs and historic buildings. The Portuguese, in keeping with their maritime history, will use a historic sailing ship as their residence.

 

Host country Brazil will run one of the largest hospitality houses in Rio. Casa Brasil will be located across two former warehouses in the city’s renovated waterfront district. Visitors will be able to sample Brazilian coffee, chocolate, cachaça and wine.

 

Mexico will install their house in the National History Museum in central Rio, while France will be based amid the glamour of the horse-racing track near the lagoon (Lagoa) and Jamaica, which is yet to announce its house's location, promises reggae parties. Japan, which will host the next Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020, will take over the modernist Cidade das Artes building (see photo below) in Barra da Tijuca. The British house, which will not be open to the public, will be located in the historic Parque Lage, which is nestled under the Christ the Redeemer statue.

 

 

Highlights

 

Netherlands (Monte Líbano Club, Lagoa). If there was a gold medal for country houses, the Dutch would be the reigning champions and hot favourites to defend their title in Rio. By day, the celebrated 'Holland Heineken House' is sure to be a popular location for watching events; by night, it is always one of the most sought-after locations for Olympic athletes and spectators to party. The Dutch are charging 15 euros for entry – excluding drinks.

 

Switzerland (Baseball ground, Lagoa). With classic Swiss punctuality, the house will be one of the first to open. From 1 August, visitors will be able to ice skate and indulge in chocolate, raclette and other Alpine delicacies. After the Games, the Swiss will leave behind them a modernised baseball pitch as a legacy for the city of Rio.

 

Republic of Korea (Sulamérica Convention Centre, central Rio). The Korean house will be open from 11 to 13 August and will include performances of K-Pop (Korean pop music) and cooking competitions. The Korean city of PyeongChang will host the next Olympic Winter Games, in 2018, and this event will have its own hospitality house, whose location is yet to be revealed.

 

Australia (Rio Stock Exchange Convention Centre, central Rio). The house will be open for one week and will provide visitors with information about opportunities to study and work in Australia, as well as a taste of life Down Under.

 

Austria (Botafogo Club, Botafogo). The Austria house was a big hit with the public at Sochi 2014. In Rio, the Austrians will operate a round-the-clock bakery and delicatessen, serving up treats such as Kornspitz bread and, of course, wiener schnitzel.

 

Austria House in Botafogo will provide guests with typical Austrian food and drink (Artist's impression)

 

Colombia (Health Ministry Cultural Centre, central Rio). This will be the first Colombian hospitality house at the Olympic Games. Colombian coffee and exotic fruits will have pride of place.

 

An artist's impression of what visitors can expect from Colombia House in central Rio

 

Casa África (Casa Shopping, Barra da Tijuca). The 54 African delegations coming to the Games will share one hospitality house in Barra. Visitors will be able to experience a 60-seat airplane simulator, watch a short film about the continent and participate in a lottery to get the chance to ‘land’ the plane. There will also be plane tickets to be won. One of the highlights of the house will be a fashion show in which Afro-Brazilian models will wear typical African clothes and costumes on the catwalk.

 

The Africa House in the Barra region of Rio will be home to a hi-tech airplane simulator (Artist's impression)

 

After the Games

 

Although the focus of the houses is on entertainment and promotion, many of the countries coming to Rio plan to leave a legacy to the city long after the Games have ended. Casa Daros, a former art gallery which will be the venue for Qatar's hospitalty house, will be converted into a bilingual public school called ‘Eleva School’.

 

During the Games, the country will transform the historic building into a typical Arab souk where visitors will be able to enjoy shawarmas and get painted with henna. Funds raised from tickets to Bayt Qatar (bayt means house in Arabic) will be donated to local charity Futuro Olímpico and used to give underprivileged young athletes from Rio the opportunity to train at Qatar’s sports facilities.

 

There will be a traditional Arab souq in the Qatar House in Botafogo (Artist's impression)

 

Meanwhile, Denmark, in keeping with its cycling traditions, will donate 65 bicycles to the city as well as toys for schools and a massive mock-up of the city made entirely of bricks from house sponsor Lego. The maps below show the location of some of the hospitality houses:

 

 

 

 

 

[vinipereira 3,460]

Olympic and Paralympic medals will be unveiled on June 16th.

[intoronto 6,463]

Getting closer by the day, can't wait

[heywoodu 16,014]

8 hours ago, vinipereira said:

 

 

Highlights

 

Netherlands (Monte Líbano Club, Lagoa). If there was a gold medal for country houses, the Dutch would be the reigning champions and hot favourites to defend their title in Rio. By day, the celebrated 'Holland Heineken House' is sure to be a popular location for watching events; by night, it is always one of the most sought-after locations for Olympic athletes and spectators to party. The Dutch are charging 15 euros for entry – excluding drinks.

 

 

 

There were doubts whether or not there would be a Holland Heineken House again this year, but luckily Heineken came out pretty quickly saying something like "Of course there will be!"  

 

It's always cool to see the reports of the medal celebration there, because athletes are celebrated better than at the official medal ceremonies  

[vlad 392]

Olympics in Rio should move due to Zika concerns, say 150 experts

An open letter signed by 150 international doctors, scientists and researchers on Friday urged the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro to be moved or delayed due to the Zika virus.

To press on with the Games in Rio, the second most affected city in Brazil by the Zika crisis, would be "irresponsible" and "unethical," the letter argued.

"Our greater concern is for global health. The Brazilian strain of Zika virus harms health in ways that science has not observed before," said the letter, signed by experts in the United States, Britain, Canada, Norway, the Philippines, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, and Lebanon among others.

"An unnecessary risk is posed when 500,000 foreign tourists from all countries attend the Games, potentially acquire that strain, and return home to places where it can become endemic," it said.

"Should that happen to poor, as-yet unaffected places (e.g., most of South Asia and Africa) the suffering can be great," the letter added.

Zika can cause birth defects, including a devastating syndrome known as microcephaly in which babies are born with unusually small heads and brains.

Nearly 1,300 babies have been born in Brazil with the irreversible defect since the mosquito-borne Zika began circulating there last year.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and top US public health officials have called on those travelling to Brazil to take precautions against mosquito bites, and have said pregnant women should avoid areas where Zika is circulating, including Rio de Janeiro.

 

 

Given the big financial investments at stake, the letter questioned whether the UN health agency was able to give a non-biased view of the situation.

It said the world body may not be properly considering the options, which include moving the Games to a place where Zika is not present, postponing them until Zika is under control, or cancelling them.

"We are concerned that WHO is rejecting these alternatives because of a conflict of interest," said the letter.

"Specifically, WHO entered into an official partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in a Memorandum of Understanding that remains secret."

It called on the UN health agency to disclose the memo. "Not doing so casts doubt on WHO's neutrality," it said.

"WHO must revisit the question of Zika and postponing and/or moving the Games. We recommend that WHO convene an independent group to advise it and the IOC in a transparent, evidence-based process in which science, public health, and the spirit of sport come first," the letter said.

"Given the public health and ethical consequences, not doing so is irresponsible."

[dcro 10,210]

67 days left, you better prepare.

[bestmen 2,906]

how is the weather in august there

[Bearas 581]

During Polish and Lithuanian women cycling campaign BaltiCCYcle-2016 in Rio to support Rio 2016 Olympics one of Lithuanian female cyclist was attacked, sexually abused, raped and lost her phone, documents and money... Unfortunately cyclist drop behind of the team and where alone when she was attacked.