OREANDA-NEWS. October 16, 2009. Dmitry Medvedev congratulated President of the Federal Republic of Brazil Luis Inacio Lula da Silva on Rio de Janeiro's victory in the battle for the right to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

The congratulatory message reads, in part:  “For the first time in history the world’s most important sporting event will be hosted by South America. This is a significant step in the development of the international Olympic movement. I have no doubt that the event will be a huge success and make a great contribution to the promotion of healthy lifestyles in different parts of the world. I am equally confident about the success of another major sporting event – especially meaningful for all Brazilians – the 2014 FIFA World Cup. I believe that Brazil richly deserves to host these events and that they clearly demonstrate your country’s athletic achievements.”