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Brazil minister shocked by low sports population, expects Olympics to stimulate

(Xinhua) Updated: 2015-08-04 09:57

As Olympic host, Hilton also expected Brazilian delegation could achieve a new high in Rio. Olympic host nations typically get a "home-field" bounce, and Brazil is trying to almost double its medal take of 17 from the 2012 London Games.

"We want to finish in the top 10 in the Olympics and top five in the Paralympics. The one billion reais investment is to develop professionals, including physical education experts, nutritionists, and therapists." Hilton said.

This is an ambitious goal, given Brazil came 22nd in the 2012 London Olympics table. Brazil will spend about one billion reais in public and private money in training athletes in the four-year cycle leading up to Rio, double what it spent in the previous four-year cycle.

In contrast with the World Cup, there has been less criticism about the cost of venues, Hilton explained the reason was the transparency involving the financial side.

"60 percent of the money invested in the Olympics has come from the private sector. Besides the great legacy, the Olympics has not led to cuts in budgets for other areas," Hilton said.

Brazil football continues its lackluster performance this year after last year's 7-1 collapse to Germany in the semifinals of World Cup, being eliminated by Paraguay in a penalty shootout in the semifinals of Copa America.

Outside the court, Brazil football is also trapped in corruption scandal as Brazilian Football Confederation vice-president Jose Maria Marin was among the officials detained in Switzerland as part of investigations by US and Swiss authorities. The Brazilian Senate has started its investigation into the national football confederation.

"The Brazilian government supports the investigations. And the federal police have already made progress with their investigations. Those found guilty will be punished accordingly," Hilton said.

"There is a law that president Dilma Rousseff sent to Congress to be approved that stipulates 20% of the investment of football clubs must go towards youth development and women's football. We have to focus on youth level and make it even better so that we can produce more Neymars."

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