Rio 2016: Volunteer Program Tops 100,000 Candidates
| Rio 2016 Games Volunteer Programme tops 100,000 candidates |
| · Registrations close on 15 November
· Applications received from 180 countries |
| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 October 2014: The Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games’ Volunteer Programme has already received applications from over 100,000 candidates, showing just how much interest their is from Brazilians and throughout the world in participating and experiencing the Games up close. To date, the top five countries in terms of the number of candidates are Brazil, Russia, China, United States and Mexico, but applications have been received from a total of 180 countries. For the Rio 2016 Organising Committee’s Human Resources Director, Henrique Gonzalez, reaching this number of applications is an important step towards finding the 70,000 volunteers needed for the Rio 2016 Games. “We are very happy that the response has been so positive. It is really good to see so many people wanting to play an active role in South America’s first Olympic and Paralympic Games, and share the thrill of this historic event,” he said. The manager of the Rio 2016 Volunteer Programme, Flavia Fontes, believes that the number of applications is important, not just for the Rio 2016 Games, but also for volunteer work in Brazil as a whole. “We do not want to encourage volunteers just for the Games. We also want to give a boost to volunteer work throughout Brazil. This will be yet another legacy of Rio 2016,” she said. People interested in applying should do so by visiting the website at www.rio2016.com/volunteer or phone 3004-2016 (local call rate from anywhere in Brazil). Candidates should be at least 18 years old by February 2016 and be available to take part for a period of at least 10 days. The 70,000 candidates selected will be allocated to one of nine functional areas: serving the public, sports, press and communications, operational support, production of ceremonies, protocol and languages, healthcare, technology and transport. They will all have the opportunity to study English online for a year and will receive specific job training related to the sport and facilities where they will work, as well as a full uniform, meals and transport on days worked, and a certificate of participation.
About the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee: The Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee is a non-profit civil association under private law, involved in sports and formed by Brazilian Olympic Confederations, the Brazilian Olympic Committee and the Brazilian Paralympic Committee. Its mission is to promote, organise and hold the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, following the guidelines of the Host City Agreement drafted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency, and in compliance with Brazilian law, the Olympic Charter and IPC Rules.
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| For further information: Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Media Relations Tel: (55 21) 2016 5320 |
