Brazilian basketball legend Arcain named ‘Mayor’ of Olympic Village

RIO (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - There was a considerable boost for basketball leading up to the Rio 2016 Games after Janeth Arcain was announced as the 'Mayor' of the Olympic Village.

The Village was unveiled as part of a ceremony to mark Olympic Day which commemorates the official anniversary of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is celebrated around the world with events that encourage people to become involved in sports and lead more active lives.

The two-time Olympic medalist revealed her delight at receiving the distinguished honour of representing the host nation in her mayoral role by stating: "For me, taking on this role is like winning a medal."

No other woman has scored more Olympic basketball points than Arcain, who was also the first Brazilian woman to play in the WNBA. She was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame last year.

Away from the court, Arcain established the ‘Instituto Janeth Arcain’ in 2002, which provides access to sporting opportunities every year for about 700 children.

In her new capacity as Mayor of the Olympic Village, her main duties will include welcoming athletes and officials and ensuring that everything is in place so they can compete at their highest level.

The Olympic and Paralympic Village will soon be home to 17,000 participants. It consists of 31 buildings, 3,604 apartments, a laundry, a florist, convenience stores, a bank, post office, ticket booth and even a hairdresser and beauty salon.

A round-the-clock dining hall is expected to serve more than 60,000 meals per day during the Rio Games. There are also 1,800 square metres of gym space which will be open for athletes to use 24 hours a day, while a multi-faith centre will cater to the religious needs of athletes and officials.

FIBA