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Brazil has become the first South American country to host the Olympics after the city of Rio de Janeiro was chosen to stage the 2016 Games.

Rio won a majority of the 95 votes at the meeting in Copenhagen, eliminating Madrid in the final round.
It means if Rugby Sevens’ bid to become part of the Summer Games is successful next Friday, the sports elite will head to Brazil’s second largest city in seven years time.

Rio’s 2016 Olympics will come just two years after Brazil hosts the World Cup in 2014 and 120 years after the first modern Games.

It was the third time in a row Madrid has lost out in the race to host the Olympics, going down by 66 votes to 32 in the final run off. Chicago's early exit proved a surprise, after bookmakers made them joint favourites with Rio at the beginning of the day.

US President Barack Obama had flown to Denmark on Friday morning to join his wife, Michelle, and make an emotional address to the International Olympic Committee delegates.

Yet despite this Chicago won only 18 votes in the first round poll of IOC delegates at the Bella Convention Centre on Friday afternoon.

Rio’s win will be particularly good news for the Brazilian Rugby Association (ABR), which is a huge advocate of Rugby Sevens, with the women’s side enjoying particular success in recent years.

All eyes will again be on Copenhagen this coming Friday as Sevens and golf both recommended for inclusion by the IOC Executive Board at its meeting in Berlin in August, face separate votes by the full 106 IOC membership for 2016 inclusion.

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