The Rio 2016 Games will provide the best possible environment for peak performances. Athletes will enjoy world-class facilities, including a superb village, all located in one of the world’s most beautiful cities, in a compact layout for maximum convenience.

getty Images

The competition venues will be clustered in four zones – Barra, Copacabana, Deodoro and Maracanã – and connected by a high-performance transport ring. Nearly half of the athletes will be able to reach their venues in less than 10 minutes, and almost 75 per cent will do so in less than 25 minutes. Of the 34 competition venues, of which 18 are already operational, eight will undergo some permanent works, seven will be totally temporary and nine are being constructed as permanent legacy venues.

The Rio Games will also celebrate and showcase sport, thanks to the city’s stunning setting and a desire to lift event presentation to new heights. At the same time, Rio 2016 will be an opportunity to deliver the broader aspirations for the long-term future of the city, region and country – an opportunity to hasten the transformation of Rio de Janeiro into an even greater global city.

Number of torchbearers: ~450 in Greece, ~12,000 in Brazil
Total distance: ~2,235km in Greece, 36,000km in Brazil (20,000 by road and 16,000 by air)
Countries crossed: Greece, Switzerland and Brazil

Named after one of Brazil’s most prominent 20th century cultural icons, Vinicius des Moraes, the mascot for the Olympic Games Rio 2016 constitutes a blend of animals native to Brazil, and symbolises the energy and joie de vivre exuded by the Brazilian people.

The Rio 2016 emblem is inspired by the organisers’ vision, which is: “All Brazilians uniting to deliver the greatest festival on earth and proudly advancing our national promise of progress.” It has, as its essence, the concepts of passion and transformation, which both reflect modern-day Brazil. This positioning is supported by four pillars – harmonious diversity, contagious energy, exuberant nature, and the Olympic spirit. These have all been masterfully combined to give Rio 2016 its colourful identity. This emblem is not only a symbol of Rio’s and Brazil’s hopes for these Games but also for the future of the city and country.

The city of Rio de Janeiro will host the Games of the XXXI Olympiad. This followed three rounds of voting by members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 2 October 2009 at the 121st IOC Session, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Rio 2016 Alex Ferro

Seven cities were initially proposed by their National Olympic Committees to host the 2016 Games: Chicago (USA), Prague (CZE), Tokyo (JPN), Rio de Janeiro (BRA), Baku (AZE), Doha (QAT) and Madrid (ESP). On 4 June 2008, the IOC Executive Board selected four cities to enter the Candidate City phase of the bid process. Listed in the official order of drawing of lots, these cities were:

• Chicago (USA)
• Tokyo (JPN)
• Rio de Janeiro (BRA)
• Madrid (ESP)

During the vote on 2 October 2009, Rio de Janeiro eventually triumphed by taking 66 votes compared to Madrid's 32. This gave Rio the majority that it needed to be elected as the host city for the 2016 Games. Rio had to overcome stiff competition, however, in the form of Chicago, Tokyo and Madrid in order to get the Games.

21st IOC Session, 2 October 2009, Copenhagen: Election of the Host City of the XXXI Games of the Olympiad

Tickets for the Olympic Games Rio 2016 are now available to Olympic fans worldwide through various channels depending on their country of residence.

IOC

To find out how you can apply for Olympic Games tickets, please visit the Rio 2016 Organising Committee’s website.

Fans are reminded that only tickets purchased from or obtained through authorised sources are genuine, valid and will enable entry to venues. Detailed information on authorised ticket sources, in particular a list of Authorised Ticket Resellers (in Brazil and internationally) is available on the official Rio 2016 ticketing website. Fans having purchased or obtained tickets from unofficial or unauthorised sources run the risk of a) having obtained fake tickets, b) having obtained invalidated tickets, c) having those tickets cancelled, d) being refused entry, and/or e) being asked to leave the venue, without receiving a refund or qualifying for an exchange of ticket. Neither the International Olympic Committee nor Rio 2016 nor any National Olympic Committee may be held liable for any consequence (such as, without limitation, any loss or damage) related to a ticket purchased from or obtained through an unauthorised source.