Rio de Janeiro (DPA) International Football Federation (FIFA) president Joseph Blatter said he will vote for Rio de Janeiro as the host of the 2016 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro Governor Sergio Cabral said Tuesday.
As a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Blatter is set to take part Friday in Copenhagen in the crucial vote to pick the host of the 2016 Games, in a race which pits Rio against Madrid, Chicago and Tokyo.
Cabral said that Blatter made his intention known Monday, on the eve of a meeting of FIFA’s Executive Committee in Rio.
In public, however, the boss of global football declined to confirm his decision. Blatter said only that the world looked at the Rio bid with friendly eyes, although he admitted that this might not be enough to get the Brazilian city the Games.
Cabral said he also obtained for Rio the vote of Issa Hayatou, of Cameroon, who is the president of the African Football Confederation and a member of the IOC.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva cancelled his planned attendance at a formal dinner in Blatter’s honour on Tuesday in order to travel to Copenhagen a day earlier than expected. Lula was set to lead the delegation to support Rio’s Olympic bid, which was also set to include football legend Pele.
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