Rio de Janeiro to host 2016 Olympic Games

Rio de Janeiro won the right to host the 2016 Olympic Games after US President Barack Obama:s emotional plea for his adopted home town Chicago failed to clinch it. The mere presence of world’s most powerful man was ample indication of the seriousness of the affair and in the end Rio de Janeiro pipped Madrid (Spain), Tokyo (Japan) and Chicago as Olympic Games for the first time, headed for South America. Chicago received a royal snub to crash out of the race in the very first round of voting at Copenhagen today. Tokyo fell by the wayside after the second round of voting, leaving the fight to Rio de Janeiro and Madrid. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero spearheaded Madrid’s bid to become the first Spanish city to host the games after Barcelona held it in 1992. The Spanish delegation included the 89-year-old former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, who made a passionate appeal, watched by Spain King Juan Carlos and Real Madrid captain Raul. But Rio de Janeiro had the last laugh. Like Obama, Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took the onus on himself to convince the 95 eligible International Olympic Committee (IOC) voters to bring the Games to South America for the first time.