The programme was unveiled at Rio de Janeiro's Modern Art Museum with 150 different companies in attendance to express a preliminary interest in becoming licensees for manufacturing and selling official products of the Olympics and Paralympics.

"The Olympic and Paralympic Games have the world's most recognised brands," said Rio 2016 President Carlos Nuzman.

"We are offering a unique opportunity for companies to associate themselves with these brands and eventually have their products displayed at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, as relics of the Games.

"Also, licensed products are yet another way to enable all Brazilians to take part in the event."

In addition to bringing in a large part of the revenues required to stage the Games, the Licensing Programme is a chance to promote the involvement of the public in the Olympic and Paralympics and to generate business opportunities for a wide range of sectors including clothing, toys, school supplies and retail.

Rio 2016 aims to reach a total of 60 licensed companies with 12,000 products developed and 6,000 points of sale.

Between 2014 and 2016, over 150 official shops will be opened in places such as airports, shopping centres kiosks, hotels, the Olympic and Paralympic Village and every venue of the Games.

Approximately 80 per cent of the shops will be in Rio de Janeiro and the others will be located in key cities of the country.

A megastore is also planned to be built on the sands of Copacabana Beach, one of the most iconic landmarks in Brazil and which is due to host the beach volleyball during the Games.

It is expected to be a magnet for visitors during the Games.

The emblems to be licensed will be those of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team Brazil.

The pictograms, to be launched next year, and the mascots, which will be unveiled in 2014, will also be displayed on official products.

The first official products will be sold at a shop to be set up at the Brazil House at the London 2012 Games.

Like London they will be hoping to find a product like the red mittens at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver which capture the imagination of the country.


The first product area to be licensed is collectibles such as coins, stamps and lapel pins.

This will be followed by clothing, which will amount to half of licensing revenues, in 2013 and hardlines such as stationery, toys and home products in the second half of 2014.

"Our planning aims to enable all segments of the market to associate themselves with the Games," said Rio 2016's head of licensing, retail and concessions Sylmara Multini (pictured).

"Our products will range from luxury to the most affordable ones.

"The launches will be timed to make the Games brands' value reach its peak in 2016."

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