Maracanã welcomes the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Nick Clegg was at the stadium in Rio this morning, where he announced an expansion of his partnership for a social action program in Rio and donated a Great Britain Olympic team jersey to the newly opened museum.
247 - The Maracanã stadium received a visit from the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Nick Clegg, on Thursday morning, alongside the state secretary of sport and leisure, Marcia Lins, and former player Carlos Alberto Torres. In addition to inspecting the works and learning about the stadium's renovation project, he reaffirmed the exchange with Brazil in the area of sports, especially regarding security at major events. He also announced the expansion of the Premier Skills Safe Sport program for young people from communities in Rio de Janeiro.
The Premier Skills Safe Sport program is a partnership between the Premier League, the British Council, and the Rio 2016 project of the Rio de Janeiro State Government. At Maracanãzinho, 30 young people participated in a game to celebrate the expansion of the social action to the communities of Fallet/Fogueteiro and São Carlos. Currently, 300 young people participate in the project in Morro dos Prazeres.
London, which is hosting the Olympic Games for the third time this year, has been sharing experiences with Brazilian partners on projects ranging from training private security guards to stadium management.
Clegg donated a Team GB shirt, the official Olympic team of Great Britain, to the stadium museum. Former Brazilian national team captain Carlos Alberto Torres, who played in a historic match against England at the 1970 World Cup, will guide Nick Clegg through a photo exhibition recently opened in his honor.
The stadium renovation is expected to reach 60% completion in the coming weeks. The new Maracanã will host the final of the 2014 World Cup and the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics, as well as matches and the final game of the Confederations Cup in 2013, both events of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).