London, Rio Open Olympics Transfer of Knowledge

(ATR) The so-called transfer of knowledge opens Wednesday with three days of meetings between technology experts from London and Rio de Janeiro.

Then later this week dozens of staff from London, led by LOCOG chair Sebastian Coe arrive along with an IOC team led by President Jacques Rogge.

Over the next week staff from the Rio organizing committee will meet with their counterparts from London, exchanging lessons learned from the Games and other tips.

The transfer of knowledge has grown into a formal activity between summer and winter host cities and their successors. And it’s not limited to the meeting that happens post-Games. Organizers now work transfer of knowledge into their routine operations. Rio de Janeiro, for example, had 100+ observers working in London ahead of the Olympics as well as during the Games.

The debrief takes place in the western suburb of Barra da Tijuca, site of the Olympic Park being built for 2016, as well as the Olympic Village.

Rio 2016 President Carlos Nuzman will lead the Brazilian side along with new CEO Sidney Levy and veteran COO Leonardo Gryner. Mayor Eduardo Paes and his colleagueswill participate along with representatives from the state and federal governments.

The Paralympics are included in the debrief, covered next week, Nov 21-22.

Along with the IOC president, key figures from the IOC expected in Rio include Nawal El Moutawakel, chair of the IOC Coordination Commission, along with headquarters staff fleeing the soggy surrounds oftheir flooded offices. The ground floor and lower level of IOC headquarters were inundated with water from a burst pipe that flooded the neighborhood Sunday. The headquarters is still closed for clean-up and repairs.

So far, the destruction will not prevent staff such as Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli, sports chief Christophe Dubi or marketing director Timo Lumme from making the journey to Brazil.

IOC President Rogge will attract plenty of attention from the 200 media accredited for the event, mostly from Brazil. He will visit venue construction and other projects in his first visit since January 2011.

Written and reported by Ed Hula.