During a prestigious Ceremony in Forte São João, the CISM President could express the CISM gratitude to the present political, sports and military Brazilian authorities. General Gola insisted on the considerable impact of the 5th CISM Military World Games in the international sports world.

Brazilian authorities, counting on the presence of the CISM President General Gianni Gola, launch into the 5th Military World Games 2011 in Rio de Janeiro on Sep 18th with an eye on the Olympic Games 2016.

According to the Secretary General to the Rio-2016 Committee, Mr Carlos Roberto Osório, the 5th edition of the Military World Games in 2011 is a direct investment in the Olympic Games, to which Rio is a candidate as hosting city. This Military World Games event encompasses integrated projects that clearly display long-term planning, continuity, and guarantees. Existing facilities along with those being built right now, will be provided for these Military Games, and then for the Olympic Games.

Enthusiastically, General Gola said that considering both the social and sports point of view, South America is a significant region to show that universality is not just a theoretical term. The General continues: “The military sport is part of the Olympic Movement. If one does want universality, one has to work on it”.

It is also worth to remind that Brazilian officials at federal, state, and municipality levels through out the country are backing the event. His Excellency the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, as such, has been showing unconditional support, but the words in his recommendation to the authorities are quite cautious: to keep an unpretentious and feet-on-the-ground behaviour. The Governor of Rio de Janeiro, Mr Sérgio Cabral, mentioned that the Military World Games are a kind of extraordinary happening, comparable to the Pan-American games when one takes into account the number of athletes, delegations, participants and spectators involved.