Olympics: Brazil’s president receives flag

BRASILIA: Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff received the Olympic flag as the competition’s world governing body warned that the country had to ‘work harder’ ahead of the Rio 2016 Summer Games.

The country won a total of 17 medals at the London Olympics that concluded over the weekend – three gold, five silver and nine bronze. International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge meanwhile warned that much remained to be done to prepare for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. “They cannot be complacent,” said Rogge. “They have to work harder. I am confident and optimistic that they will organise good games. B

ut clearly they all need to understand that this requires hard work, a lot of planning and making sure no time is lost.” Brazil insists everything will be ready for the first summer Olympics to be held in South America.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2012.