Rio 2016 sets new standards for legacy planning
Watched by an audience in the billions and relayed around the globe by record-breaking media coverage and unprecedented levels of digital engagement, the athletes of the Olympic Games Rio 2016 inspired the world with their athletic achievements. Against a backdrop of economic, political and social challenges, Rio 2016 also set new standards for legacy planning with a number of projects already leaving an important heritage to the city and its citizens.
Legacy planning for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro did not start when the Olympic flame was extinguished on 21 August 2016 in the Maracanã Stadium, it began long before that - before the city was even awarded the Games. Legacy figured prominently in all of the activities linked to the Games and today, we can already see many examples of that planning becoming a reality.
From urban development, to economics, to social, to environmental, to youth and sporting legacies, the Olympic Games Rio 2016 has positively impacted the lives of Cariocas and Brazilians in a myriad of ways. The following factsheet provides a brief look at just some of the ways that Rio 2016 made the world a better place through sport.