From Inside the Games
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has claimed no public funding was spent on Rio 2016 and these Games will be remembered as a turning point in leaving a “much better” host city.
Bach, giving his assessment of the Olympics on the eve of the Closing Ceremony, gave an overwhelmingly positive response, despite being asked about the litany of problems surrounding these Games.
He claimed the event has given a new lease of life to the city, offering as examples new infrastructure projects such as the subway line linking the main Olympic hub at Barra de Tijuca with the city centre.
“Imagine if this situation [of Rio being neglected] would have continued like this,” Bach said.
“Then imagine where Rio would be today.
“So this is why I am absolutely convinced that history or maybe the Cariocas from tomorrow will talk of the Rio de Janeiro before the Games and the much better Rio de Janeiro after the Olympic Games.”
Bach claimed that the IOC have “shown that it is possible to organise Olympic Games also in countries which are not at the top of the GDP (Goss Domestic Product) ranking”.
He then claimed this had been achieved without the local population having to shoulder the financial burden.
“We have shown that we are ready to face social reality and to address this,” Bach said.
“There is no public money in the organisation of this Olympic Games.
“The budget of the Organising Committee is privately financed; there is no public funding for this.”
