Rio de Janeiro Olympics formally closed by IOC boss Bach

Published August 22nd, 2016 - 12:45 GMT
Dancers perform during the closing ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 21, 2016.
Luis Acosta / AFP
Dancers perform during the closing ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 21, 2016. Luis Acosta / AFP

The 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro are formally closed by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach, who declares them "marvellous" Games.

"These were marvellous Olympic Games in THE marvellous city!" Bach told the crowd in Portuguese and English at the Maracana in his speech during the closing ceremony.

The first Games in South America faced many challenges, ranging from empty seats at the venues to security concerns, as the host nation is going through its worst economic crisis since the 1930s. Brazil also is in political crisis, with unpopular acting President Michel Temer not attending the closing ceremony after being booed at the opening.

Bach closed the Games by saying: "I declare the Games of the XXXI Olympiad closed. In accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in Tokyo, Japan, to celebrate with us the Games of the XXXII Olympiad."

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