“In ancient times as today, the Olympic Games are a message of hope and peace”, said Bach.
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The flame will move to Lausanne, where the International Olympic Committee headquarters is situated, for the weekend before resuming its travels to Brazil on Monday.
Ban Ki-moon (C), UN Secretary-General, Thomas Bach (L) International Olympic Committee (IOC) President and Carlos Arthur Nuzman, Brazil’s Olympic Committee President pose with the Olympic flame lantern at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 29, 2016.
One of the biggest concerns heading into the Rio Olympics is the Zika virus, and the South Korean Olympic team is doing everything it can think of to protect its athletes.
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon watches as Bruna Gabriella holds the 2016 Olympic flame during a ceremony at the United Nations offices in Geneva, on April 29, 2016.
“The Olympic flame coming to Lausanne is a sign, a symbolic return to the city chosen to host the IOC”.
Tickets in all price categories are being released for Brazilian residents on the Rio 2016 website.
“The ceremony means that it’s a new moment and we are on the last lap for the Games”, Nuzman added.
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The 40,000-square-metre tourist boulevard has large gardens and spaces for pedestrians and cyclists, and is located between the revitalised Maua square – the first instalment of the tourist strip that opened earlier in April – and the old port warehouses of Rio de Janeiro. Bach urged organizers to not let the good feelings from the flame ceremony distract from the many little preparations remaining the Olympic city. “We are working hard with all of our partners on each of these points and we are more confident than ever that Brazilians will deliver great Games”.
