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Alea Jacta Est... (and now what?)


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Hello everyone,

I haven´t been very active here (well, not counting yesterday of course) but I was little busy with a couple of personal things to care, and considering that the best was yet to arrive, GB forums had to step down to other priorities, anyway, moving on...

I am writing this as proud 'carioca'. Being born and raised here AND a die-hard olympic fan, one of my dreams since I started watching the Olympics on TV was that, some day (hopefully as soon as possible) my city would host the Olympic Games. I was dreaming in 1997, when we had the first, uh, attempt, if you can call that. However, even with media hype, lack of experience and a city with a lot of problems, I still dreamed about it as college kid back then. So, when we failed even to pass in the short list phase, I thought that we were stolen the opportunity to host a different type of Games.

Some years later, when I was finishing my graduation and started to work full-time, we won the 2007 PanAm bid, and I was really, really happy. "Finally we will have good sport venues", I thought, "a modern T&F stadium and a whole lot more infrastructure development". However, as years passed, I saw the reality was way below this. So, although I thought we had a chance to go through the short list for 2012, I wasn´t exactly very excited because the building for the 2007 PanAm Games wasn´t exactly what I thought it could be. One of the main reasons (that I still keep it on my signature) is the fact that they would destroy another sporting venue, in this case the Jacarepagua Race Track, very famous in the past for hosting the F1 events and one that gave me some great childhood memories when I was there for so many years with my father to watch the race. This was a cheap move, motivated more from real estate interest than actually 'olympic spirit' and I still think there were lots of other places near to build the same things they did and will do in the next couple of years. That made me change my way of viewing the Games here in Rio. I didn´t want to be that way.

Still, time passed, I got married and we hosted the PanAm Games. If it wasn´t an 100% perfect event, it worked fine. To my surprised, not very long time after, Rio decided to go to another bid for 2016. 2 big failures and a lot of frustration about how the things worked during the PanAm Games really broke my 'Olympic Spirit'. I thought it was impossible to win after the problems we had in the past, but I thought Rio would move to the Final Presentation phase as a 'consolation prize' from hosting the PanAm Games as my posts here in GB can testify it.

Then, Friday, October 2nd, 2009 arrived. I woke up just in time to see Rio presentation, logged here at the GB to read the comments and hope, really hope that we wouldn´t embarassed ourselves during the presentation. Being low on my predictions to Rio, I wasn´t really excited about the presentation itself so, after Madrid presentation, I went to a work meeting very close to home thinking that, when it was over, I would see the 'obvious' result that Rio had lost again. Instead, time has passed and, during the meeting, I haven´t heard anything from outside, good or bad. Usually, in events like that, even when we lose, there is a lot of noise from people. After the meeting, people asked me about Rio presentation and I told them "it was bad, we won´t make it". So, I left the building and went back home to eat lunch before going back to work.

When I was walking on the street, I saw the TV screens and I couldn´t believe it. It was down to Rio and Madrid! How come? I started to rush back home and turned on the TV to see the anouncement. Then, as the envelope arrived to Jacques Rogge, my heart was pumping and I started to repeat myself "OMG, we won, OMG, we won" (actually I wasn´t EXACTLY these words, but this is a 'family' forum, no need to use some words ;) ).

Then, when JR actually opened the envelope and spoke "Rio de Janeiro" I was shocked and speechless for a minute or so. Impossible! We never won those things! And it wasn´t a contest, it was a washout! It wasn´t supposed to be like that! Not with THOSE people on the Brazilian Olympic Committee! And what about the race track? Meanwhile, there was a huge roar that erupted like Brazil had won another World Cup or Flamengo had won another national championship.

I went back to work shocked, I was never able to fully work because I was shocked, I was driving to my running workout and I was listening to radio when it started "The Hour of Brazil", a daily 60 minute compusory government program that is broadcasted at 7pm every weekday and suddenly the anchor started to say something like "In Brasilia, the senator from some state when to the balcony to defend his project" and I yelled "Who cares????? We won the Olympic Bid!!!". I actually barely remember that I did a running workout after work because I was shocked. I went home shocked.... and when I went to sleep I was still shocked.

I think I was only back to normal Saturday morning but, still, I went to the newstand to buy all the major newspapers to save the moment. And in the next days I realized that, OK, this might not be the dream bid I was hoped for, but let´s enjoy it. Mike Lee and Scott Givens should have a statue in front of the Engenhao Stadium, being the masters of Rio plan.

Since then, I have been following as closely as possible to everything related to the Games preparations. And I am very happy how things are going so far. The only thing I am really sorry is for the Race Track, that will really disappear in the next couple of years without having another one built to replace it, and I am really sad that is gone. Besides that, everything else is going nice, not perfect of course, but much better than it could be (considering the previous mayors and governors, the risk was really high). Our mayor is doing a fine job IMHO and I hope that he is reelected this October, as it looks like, because he deserves to be the Olympic mayor.

As for myself, like anything in life, this have also changed, since Rio won I was twice on TV to be commentating on cross country skiing and biathlon, had an small injury during a half marathon, which made me step back for a while regarding the sports that I practice and love and, last but not least, went through a tough time with my wife to have a baby, who will seat next to me in 4 years to watch lots of events and, who knows, will enjoy the Olympics as much as her father did when he was around her age (well, a little bit older, since my first one was Los Angeles´84, but I was already a F1 fan).

Now, time has come, the ball is on our ground. Everyone will start looking about everything that happens here for good or bad. I don´t know what will happen from now on, but it will a pleasure to watch how it will unfold in the front seat. Hopefully, in 4 years, I can come here and write that Rio made a great Olympic Games, just like London did last night, and finally have one of dreams finally come true and remember for the rest of my life. Welcome, everyone, to Rio de Janeiro, the host city of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad.

....and I promise I will come here more often ;) (I will try)

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I'm a perfectionist and I always see flaws in everything... Our bid wasn't an exception. I still have dreams of a 120,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in Barra (just to top Stadium Australia) or a great urbanization plan to beautify the city streets...

But that day, that October 2nd, made me feel proud as never before. That day we were reaffirmed as a strong society and as a great nation. I woke up at 2am to watch the whole thing and only went to sleep at 1am the next day because I couldn't get tired of the news and repercussions.

The organizers are doing everything right so far, having exceeded much of my expectations (except for yesterday's handover). I feel blessed to have born in this country of a brilliant future, always recalling the words of Juscelino Kubitschek:

“From this central plateau, this loneliness that will soon become the brains of high national decisions, I look once more at the future of my country and foresee this dawn with an unshakeable faith in its great destiny.”

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I agree, in an overall, everything have been done reasonably well...

About the handover ceremony, I think it was average, not bad not outstanding... So, it's fine...

Everybody complains a bit about handover ceremonies, and let's face that: it's not easy to show Brazil in only 8 minutes with so many restrictions...

I'm proud of everything...

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Wonderful post, Rominger and very moving to listen to. The only thing I couldn't quite believe was this bit: "suddenly the anchor started to say something like "In Brasilia, the senator from some state when to the balcony to defend his project" and I yelled "Who cares????? We won the Olympic Bid!!! Do you really mean that not all Brazilian news outlets immediately led off with the Olympic bid victory?? I'm sure, there was not a single news outlet in the UK that did not immediately lead off with London's win to host 2012!

:o

Look forward to hearing more from you as the Rio Olympics draw ever nearer! :)

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There is a misunderstood here.

The "Voice of Brazil" radiocast is a official diary, somehow... They MUST broadcast news from the government...

Ok, they can say something special in the beggning to celebrate the fact, but somehow, they are not obligated to.

The rest of the media, indeed TV Brasil (the Brazilian public TV) talked about Rio 2016 for days without stop......................

Our main newscast (The Nightly News of Brazil hehehe) at that day

They never inserted a clip in the news entrance before unless for Presidential Inagurations. It was a first time.

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Wonderful post, Rominger and very moving to listen to. The only thing I couldn't quite believe was this bit: "suddenly the anchor started to say something like "In Brasilia, the senator from some state when to the balcony to defend his project" and I yelled "Who cares????? We won the Olympic Bid!!! Do you really mean that not all Brazilian news outlets immediately led off with the Olympic bid victory?? I'm sure, there was not a single news outlet in the UK that did not immediately lead off with London's win to host 2012!

:o

Look forward to hearing more from you as the Rio Olympics draw ever nearer! :)

This program is broadcasted every weekday at 7pm. The anouncement was done around 1pm here.

"The Voice of Brazil" is kind of bizarre public government news. I won't explain fully here, but they broadcast the news from the president, senate, house of representatives and supreme court. It doesn't matter what happens in the rest of the world, only what those guys did during the day.

However, since the president was in Copenhagen that day, it is obvious that the top story was Rio's win, and also some representatives said some useless words also. However, that took only the first 2 minutes of the broadcast, then they returned to the good ol' boring news, like the latest visit of the Fishing Minister or the "important" project of a senator to build a square at a small city in the northeast.

People are trying to stop this compulsory 60 minute broadcast to be moved to another time, but this public propaganda is too good for the politicians to quit.

Excellent Rominger, it's good to know your POV and see you changed your mind about some issues.

Loved your post.

Yeah, some issues is the right word. But I will make the best of it to enjoy with what we have. I am an economist, so I am used to deal with some constrains.

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This program is broadcasted every weekday at 7pm. The anouncement was done around 1pm here.

"The Voice of Brazil" is kind of bizarre public government news. I won't explain fully here, but they broadcast the news from the president, senate, house of representatives and supreme court. It doesn't matter what happens in the rest of the world, only what those guys did during the day.

However, since the president was in Copenhagen that day, it is obvious that the top story was Rio's win, and also some representatives said some useless words also. However, that took only the first 2 minutes of the broadcast, then they returned to the good ol' boring news, like the latest visit of the Fishing Minister or the "important" project of a senator to build a square at a small city in the northeast.

People are trying to stop this compulsory 60 minute broadcast to be moved to another time, but this public propaganda is too good for the politicians to quit.

Rominger, Voice of Brazil is a kind of "Diário Oficial" in radio. Editorially speaking, there is nothing wrong on short news about Rio victory.

I'm journalist and also think Voice of Brazil useless.

Indeed, some radios already got allowance to broadcast Voice of Brazil in "alternative" time...

Radio Bandeirantes here in Sao Paulo broadcasts "Voice" at mid-night.

Yeah, some issues is the right word. But I will make the best of it to enjoy with what we have. I am an economist, so I am used to deal with some constrains.

Yes, that's the spirit... Indeed, because we won't be a developed country from one day to another... I hope Olympic can boost some projects and bring us a nice party.

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^^Worse, created by President Getulio Vargas in the 1940s...

My mistake... It was first aired in 1934!!!

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voz_do_Brasil

It is the oldest radio program in the world still in the air with amazing 78 years!!!

I think only public/government radios should broadcast it. Leave the private/music/news radios in peace...

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