Brazilian businessman donates £3.1m to Olympics bid
A Brazilian businessman has donated ten million reais (£3.1 million) to Rio de Janeiro’s bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016.
Eike Batista officially presented the money at an event at Guanabara Palace, attended by Governor Sergio Cabral, Sports Minister Orlando Silva, Mayor Eduardo Paes, and Rio 2016 President Carlos Arthur Nuzman, among others.
Mr Cabral says: "Eike’s initiative and the contributions of other companies that have already supported the bid give an idea of how important it would be for Brazil to receive the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games."
According to Mr Silva, the donation means that the country is closer to securing the competition.
Mr Batista, who is president of mining and logistics company Grupo EBX and the richest man in Brazil according to Forbes magazine, believes the Games will make Rio "even more marvellous".
Last month, the Brazilian bidding committee outlined its vision for its Olympics, saying it wants to "build a bridge" between London 2012 and Rio 2016.
