How do we know that Rio 2016 was a success

The Olympic Games Rio 2016 were iconic in so many respects. Over the course of 16 glorious days, we witnessed new records, personal bests, great emotions and inspiring sportsmanship that only the magic of the Olympic Games can create. Off the field of play too, Rio 2016 was a great success. Rio 2016 set new records for global visibility and awareness, it also set new standards for legacy planning.

Highlights…

• The Olympic Games Rio 2016 were the most consumed Olympic Games ever
• Half the world’s population watched coverage of the Games
• Over 7 billion video views of official content on social media platforms
• Olympic Games increasingly associated with terms including “excellence”, “friendship”, “respect”, as well as “diversity”, “inspirational”, “unity”, “universal” and “youthful”
• Rio 2016 has left behind a great legacy for the city of Rio de Janeiro
• Access to high-quality public transport for citizens has increased from 18% in 2009 to 63% at the end of 2016
• Athletes from 206 NOCs plus the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team participated
• Over 11,000 athletes of whom more than 45% were women, the highest number ever
• Women competed in every sport at the Games for the second time running
• 10 refugee athletes competed as part of the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team
• Two NOCs—Kosovo and South Sudan–participated in the Olympic Games for the first time
• Nine NOCs won their first-ever gold medals (Bahrain, Fiji, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kosovo, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Tajikistan and Vietnam)

Visibility and Awareness

The Olympic Games Rio 2016 were the most consumed Olympic Games ever, taking into consideration broadcast coverage viewed on television and digital platforms, as well as engagement on social media. Stunning backdrops and iconic venues also helped create unforgettable moments.

• Broadcasters around the world made more television coverage and more digital coverage available than ever before: over 350,000 hours total for Rio 2016 compared to almost 200,000 hours for London 2012
• Half the world’s population watched coverage of the Olympic Games Rio 2016
• Olympic Games Rio 2016 broadcast content viewed online was over double that of London 2012
• Over 7 billion video views of official content on social media platforms
• According to global independent research commissioned by the IOC, 82% of spectators surveyed said their experience was better than expected and rated their enjoyment as 9.5 out of 10
• The association of the Olympic Games with terms, including the Olympic values of “excellence”, “friendship”, “respect”, as well as “diversity”, “inspirational”, “unity”, “universal” and “youthful”, has increased since London 2012
• The awareness and appeal of the Olympic Games remains the highest amongst all the measured sports and entertainment events surveyed
• Global awareness of the Olympic rings remains very high, with nine out of ten people surveyed correctly identifying them
• Iconic venues like Copacabana beach, the Sambodrome, the Maracanã Stadium and the Lagoa created unforgettable images

RIO 2016 AUDIENCE SUCCESS STORIES

BrazilNine out of 10 people who had access to TV in Brazil saw coverage of the Games. The men’s football gold medal match had the highest sports audience in Brazil since the current auditing system was established in 2006.

ChinaThe Rio 2016 men’s gold medal badminton match received a higher audience in China than any London 2012 event.

JapanViewers in Japan watched more coverage of Rio 2016 than they did of London 2012, and the three most watched programmes were of women’s events.

USANBC Olympics digital video totalled 3.4 billion streaming minutes for Rio 2016 – of which 2.71 billion were of live coverage, over 1.2 billion minutes more than all previous Olympic Games combined.

WORLDWIDE TOP PARTNERS

• The Partners helped bring the Olympic Games to life through global promotional campaigns, with unprecedented real-time social media activation, as well as popular showcasing venues at the Olympic Park and around Rio de Janeiro.
• The Worldwide TOP Partners provided critical financial support to the organisers of Rio 2016 and every National Olympic Committee, as well as products, technology and services to directly support the staging of the Games.
• The Worldwide TOP Partners supported community, education, sustainability and infrastructure development projects throughout Rio de Janeiro.

Legacy & Transformation

The Olympic Games Rio 2016 leave behind a strong legacy for the city of Rio de Janeiro. In addition to new transport infrastructure and revitalisation of parts of the city, one venue used for the Games is being converted into four schools. An education project established as part of Games preparations is now being rolled out across Brazil and beyond.

• The majority of respondents interviewed as part of independent research commissioned by the IOC, in both Brazil and internationally, believed that a positive legacy will be left in the host city and country
• Access to high quality public transportation for citizens has increased from 18% in 2009 to 63% at the end of 2016
• New transportation links have been inaugurated: new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines and New Metro Line 4
• The historic Porto Maravilha area has been revitalised
• The canoe slalom venue has also become a public swimming pool
• Six venues in the Olympic Park will form the nucleus of Brazil's first Olympic Training Centre
• The handball venue is being converted into four schools
• Carioca Arena 3 will be converted into an Olympic Experimental School
• The Transforma programme reached over 8+ million students / 16,000 schools / in 3,000+ cities / in 20+ countries
• According to a study by the Ministry of Tourism, 87% of foreign tourists have the intention to come back to Brazil and 94% want to visit to Rio de Janeiro again
• The success of the Olympic Games Rio 2016 brought pride and confidence to all Brazilians, bringing together the whole country at a difficult time

The city has become even more marvellous. Our sons will be proud to say, ‘I’m Carioca’

Stunning Sporting Achievements

Rio 2016 witnessed some stunning sporting achievements by athletes on the field of  play. Several established athletes confirmed their position in the pantheon of sporting greats, while new stars emerged. Over 100 Olympic and world records were broken in athletics, swimming, archery, cycling, weightlifting, shooting and modern pentathlon.

• Golf and Rugby 7s made their successful return to the Games after a long absence
• Host country Brazil won 19 medals (7 gold, 6 silver and 6 bronze), the highest total in its history
• Sporting icons, Usain Bolt (JAM) and Michael Phelps (USA) shone once again; Phelps secured his 23rd gold medal
• Judoka Rafaela Silva from the City of God favela became Brazil’s first gold medal winner of Rio 2016
• Taekwondo athlete Kimia Alizadeh became the first Iranian woman to win an Olympic medal
• Tennis woman Monica Puig won Puerto Rico’s first-ever gold medal
• Alex Massialas became the first American Men’s fencer to win an individual medal since 1984
• Wrestler Kaori Ichō (JPN) became the first four-time Olympic Champion in her sport
• Shooter Kim Rhode (USA/Skeet) became the first Olympian to win a medal in six consecutive editions of the Games
• Runners Nikki Hablin (NZL) and Abbey D’Agostino (USA) demonstrated fairplay helping each other up to finish the race
• Athletes from Ukraine and Russia hugged on the podium, while athletes from North and South Korea took selfies together
• Athletes said they had a positive experience at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and that they exceeded their expectations
• Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) broke the 17-year-old 400m world record held by Michael Johnson (USA)

Games

The Olympic Games Rio 2016 united and inspired Brazilians at a time when it really mattered, uniting them in a uniquely Brazilian spirit of celebration and demonstrating the extraordinary diversity of Brazil.

• The Olympic Torch Relay inspired and engaged the entire country during a 95-day tour that took in 325 towns and cities, covering each of Brazil's 26 states and the Federal District and included 12,400 torch-bearers
• USD 430m in ticketing revenue, 18% over target
• 70% of tickets sold to Brazilian citizens, reaching residents from all over Brazil
• The Games provided training and employment opportunities for local people
• Job creation accounted for 82% of Rio’s local economic growth
• The income of the poorest 5% grew 29.3% against 19.96% of the richest 5%
• A culture of volunteering developed along with increased national selfesteem

Universal & Inclusive Games

The Olympic Games Rio 2016 were truly universal and inclusive. More NOCs than ever before sent athletes to the Games, while women’s participation reached an all time high. For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games a team of refugee athletes was able to participate as part of the Refugee Olympic Team.

• The only global event in a troubled world where the whole world comes together
• A strong signal of unity in diversity for the international community
• Athletes from 206 NOCs in addition to the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team
• More than 45% of athletes were women, the highest number ever
• 50 NOCs had more women than men in their delegations
• The Refugee Olympic Team sent a message of inclusion and hope for refugees around the world and received praise from the UN Secretary-General, world leaders at the UN General Assembly as well as leaders from faith, business and other areas of society

• Olympic Solidarity supported 815 individual competitors from 171 NOCs as well as the Refugee Olympic Team and helped them win 101 individual medals (33 gold, 26 silver and 42 bronze) 
• 87 NOCs won medals during Rio 2016
• Two NOCs — Kosovo and South Sudan — participated in the Olympic Games for the first time
• Three NOCs — Fiji, Jordan and Kosovo – won their first-ever medals, all of them gold
• Nine NOC s won their first ever gold medals (Bahrein, Côte d'Ivoire, Fiji, Jordan, Kosovo, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Vietnam, and Tajikistan)
• 514 Youth Olympic Games Alumni won 80 medals, including 19 gold medals

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