Opening of the CISM Club Rio 2016

RIO DE JANEIRO - The UNIFA (Brazilian Air Force University) auditorium ECEMAR was packed this Sunday (August 7) for the opening events of the CISM Club Rio 2016. The Minister of Defence, Mr. Raul Jungmann and the Chiefs of Staff of all branches of the Brazilian Armed Forces honoured by their presence the events and attracted a large crowd of media and spectators.

The CISM Club Rio 2016 is the CISM hospitality area for all members of the CISM Family present in Rio for the 2016 Olympic Games and offered the possibility to the CISM President, CISM Secretary General and CISM Chief Executive Officer to showcase the excellence of all military athletes to the international Press. Indeed the Press conference was a great success with around 60 journalists and 19 TV Channels, among others Globo TV, main broadcasters of the Olympic Games.

The Press conference was followed by a solemn ceremony which gave the opportunity to the CISM President to address words of gratitude to the Brazilian authorities for their continuous support to all CISM activities. The CISM Chancellery had decided to award several Brazilian military and sports authorities with our Order Of Merit and the Minister of Defense inducted the CISM President, Colonel Abdulhakeem Alshino, the CISM Secretary General, Colonel Mamby Koita and the CISM CEO, Mr. Olivier Verhelle in the Brazilian Order of Military Sport Merit for their contribution to the development of sport in the Armed Forces. The ceremony was also the opportunity for CISM to deliver a presentation about our contribution to the Olympic Ideals and Values which had a real impact on the IOC Representative in attendance, Mrs. Jennyfer Mann, Head of Sport Partnerships & Coordination.

The role of sports in general and military sports in particular was in the global endeavours to search for peace and union among Nations was highlighted in all speeches.  “Sport anticipates what is sometimes denied in world relations, which is mutual respect and sharing. We wish the dream of a better world come true”, declared the Minister of Defense, Raul Jungmann.
CISM’s President, Colonel Abdulhakeem Alshino, reminded that Brazil’s first medal in Rio 2016 Olympic Games was won by Felipe Wu, a sergeant of the Brazilian Army, who participates in the High Performance Program of the Armed Forces. “It is not only about Olympic content, it is also about fair play and Sport as a tool for peace”, said the colonel.

Professor Lamartine da Costa, a very famous expert in sport in Brazil, was also invited on that occasion to officially launch the distribution of a book he wrote about Carlos Santos Dumont, the first Brazilian Olympic Hero. All guests in attendance could finally attend a magnificent military music parade on the flag square of UNIFA.

The CISM Club will host two more events, on 12 and 20 August with the presence of the military medallists and the Press.

(Source: Olivier Verhelle, CISM CEO)