Olympic course to be renamed in honour of former Brazil canoe president

Former International Canoe Federation vice-president Joao Tomasini Schwertner is to be recognised for his passion and commitment to canoeing with the 2016 Olympic slalom venue to be named in his honour.

Brazil’s Tomasini passed away in January last year after contracting Covid.

The former president of the CBCa will be honored by the City of Rio at one of the Olympic venues that were left as a legacy of the Olympic Games that took place in Brazil in 2016.

The City Hall of Rio de Janeiro, through the Secretariat of the Olympic Legacy, will perform the official baptism of the Olympic Canoe Slalom Channel, which is located in the Radical Park in Deodoro, on Thursday, February 3, at 2pm local time. The venue will be renamed Olympic Canoe Slalom Channel – João Tomasini Schwertner. The ceremony will be broadcast on the social networks of Canoagem Brasileira.

Tomasini was for three decades the President of the Brazilian Canoeing Confederation (CBCa), one of the most active sports directors in recent years in Brazil, and a very important name in international canoeing, having held the position of vice president on two occasions.

He also held the Presidency of the Pan-American Canoeing Confederation (COPAC).

The canal built to host the canoe slalom competitions at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, currently houses a sports school for canoeing that also bears the name of Tomasini. It also hosts the canoe slalom national team where they prepare for international competitions.

“It has been just over one year since Joao Tomasini left us, and we still every day miss his presence and his experience,” ICF President Thomas Konietzko said.

“Renaming the canoe channel after Joao is a wonderful gesture by the local authorities, and we thank them very much for honouring the memory of our friend.

“Joao did so much for canoeing, not just in Brazil and the Americas, but also globally. It is fitting that he be remembered in this way.”

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