2016 Summer Olympics

The 2016 Summer Olympics, also called Rio 2016, were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5 to August 21, 2016. This international multi-sport event brought together athletes from all over the world to compete in many different sports. Over 11,000 athletes from 207 countries participated, making it one of the largest gatherings of sports talent ever.

These Olympics were special because they were the first to be held in South America and in a Portuguese-speaking country. New sports like rugby sevens and golf were added to the games, giving athletes new chances to compete. The events took place in Rio de Janeiro and several other Brazilian cities.

The United States won the most medals, including their 1,000th Summer Olympic gold medal. Great Britain came in second, and China was third. Many countries, such as Bahrain, Fiji, and Vietnam, won their first-ever Olympic gold medals, making these games exciting and memorable for many nations.

Bidding process

Main article: Bids for the 2016 Summer Olympics

The race to host the 2016 Summer Olympics began on May 16, 2007. Cities had to send their first application to the International Olympic Committee by September 13, 2007, and complete their official bids by January 14, 2008. In June 2008, four cities were chosen as finalists: Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo. Three other cities—Baku, Doha, and Prague—did not make the final list.

An Evaluation Commission visited each finalist city to inspect their plans. The final decision was made on October 2, 2009, in Copenhagen. After two rounds of voting, Rio de Janeiro was chosen to host the Games, beating Madrid in the final round.

Development and preparations

Before the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, some changes happened in the team organizing the Games. Two important leaders left their jobs before the event started.

The Games used many different places to hold competitions. Some were already built, while others were made just for the Olympics. Events happened in four main areas of Rio: Barra, Copacabana, Deodoro, and Maracanã. Big stadiums like Maracanã Stadium, which held football finals, were part of the celebrations. The athletes' village had lots of furniture and amenities for everyone staying there.

The Barra Olympic Park had nine different sports areas, including places for basketball, wrestling, and swimming. Football games also took place in cities like São Paulo and Belo Horizonte. The city of Rio also worked on making its downtown area nicer and building new roads and bike paths for everyone to use.

The medals for the Olympics were made from recycled materials, and a special torch relay traveled through more than 300 cities in Brazil before the Games began. Thousands of volunteers helped with many tasks during the event. The Games also tried to be friendly to the environment by using recycled materials and planning for future green projects.

The Games

The opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics happened at Maracanã Stadium on August 5, 2016. It showed important parts of Brazilian history and culture. Famous directors Fernando Meirelles, Daniela Thomas, and Andrucha Waddington planned the ceremony. It also highlighted the importance of taking care of our planet and stopping global warming. The Games were officially started by Brazil’s acting president, Michel Temer. The Olympic flame was lit by Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, a marathon runner who won a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics.

The 2016 Olympics included 28 different sports with 306 events where athletes could win medals. Two new sports, golf and rugby sevens, were added to the games. These sports had been part of the Olympics before but were making a return after many years. During the Games, many world and Olympic records were broken in sports like swimming and athletics. The closing ceremony took place on August 21, 2016, also at Maracanã Stadium. It featured performances from Brazil and Japan, the next host country, and officially passed the Olympic flag to Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Participating National Olympic Committees

All 205 National Olympic Committees qualified at least one athlete. The first three nations to qualify athletes for the Games were Germany, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. As host nation, Brazil received automatic entry for some sports.

The 2016 Summer Olympics were the first Games in which Kosovo and South Sudan were eligible to participate. Kuwait was banned due to government interference, so its athletes participated as "Independent Olympic Athletes".

Number of athletes by National Olympic Committee

11,238 athletes from 207 NOCs

Refugee athletes

Main article: Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Due to the European migrant crisis, the IOC allowed athletes to compete as Independent Olympians under the Olympic Flag. A special Refugee Olympic Team (ROT) was formed, with 10 athletes chosen to represent it.

Independent athletes

Main article: Independent Olympic Athletes at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Because of the suspension of the National Olympic Committee of Kuwait, participants from Kuwait were allowed to participate under the Olympic Flag as Independent Olympic Athletes.

During the Games, some countries and continents had national houses, which were temporary meeting places located throughout Rio de Janeiro.

Calendar

The 2016 Summer Olympics had a schedule released on March 31, 2015, the same day ticket sales began. All dates were based on Brasília Time, which is UTC–3. The events took place between August 3 and August 21, 2016, with the main Games running from August 5 to August 21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

See also: Chronological summary of the 2016 Summer Olympics

Medal table

Further information: List of 2016 Summer Olympics medal winners

The top ten nations by the number of gold medals won at the 2016 Summer Olympics are shown below. The host country, Brazil, placed 13th with a total of 19 medals, including 7 gold, 6 silver, and 6 bronze.

Key

 ‡  Changes in medal standings (see here)

  *   Host nation (Brazil)

Broadcasting

Main article: List of 2016 Summer Olympics broadcasters

Olympic Broadcasting Services was the main broadcaster for the 2016 Games. They created and shared thousands of hours of TV and digital video with broadcasters around the world. For the first time, more digital video was made than TV video. Special types of video, like 8K resolution and 360-degree virtual reality, were also used.

In Brazil, Grupo Globo bought the rights to show the Games on TV, online, and on pay TV. This meant many people in Brazil could watch the Olympics in different ways. The International Olympic Committee gave awards in 2017 for the best broadcasts, with winners including NBC Olympics and TV Globo.

Marketing

Mascots

Main article: Vinicius and Tom

The official mascots for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics were introduced on 24 November 2014. Created by an animation company in São Paulo, the mascots were named Vinicius and Tom. Vinicius, named after a famous Brazilian musician, shows traits of Brazilian wildlife like cats, monkeys, and birds. The names were chosen by a public vote.

Emblem

The official emblem for the 2016 Summer Olympics was designed by a Brazilian agency and revealed on 31 December 2010. The emblem shows three figures joined together, inspired by Sugarloaf Mountain. It was noted for its three-dimensional shape, making it the first 3D logo in Olympic history.

Concerns and controversies

Main article: Concerns and controversies at the 2016 Summer Olympics

The lead-up to the Rio Olympics had several big concerns. Brazil was dealing with tough political and money problems, and there were worries about the Zika virus, which is spread by mosquitoes. There was also a lot of pollution in the water where some sports would take place. On top of that, there was a big problem with some Russian athletes using performance-boosting drugs, which is not fair to others.

Because of Brazil’s political problems, many people were worried the country could handle the Olympics. There were big protests and economic troubles, making things difficult. Even so, the Games went on as planned. The Zika virus worried some athletes and visitors, but no one got it during the Olympics. The polluted water in Guanabara Bay was another issue, but workers tried to clean it up before the Games started. The biggest problem was with Russian athletes using banned substances. Many were not allowed to compete, while others were let in after careful checks. Despite these challenges, the Olympics happened without any major problems.