BRASILIA: Brazil’s latest Sports Minister, Leonardo Picciani, has promised that the Olmpic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August will be an “absolute success.”

Leonardo Picciani was appointed by Acting President Michel Temer at the weekend after the suspension of Dilma Rousseff ahead of an impeachment trial and the dismantling of her government team.

Picciani, 36, said: “Preparations are progressing well, are up to speed with the completion scheduled and I am convinced we will have no problem.

“The Olympic Games will be a complete and absolute success, will enhance the country ‘s image within the international community and also leave an important legacy for the population.

“We have a unique opportunity to show Brazil to the world through the Olympic Games. We will spare no efforts to succeed and, in this great event, we will.”

Critics have already rasied a potential issue over a conflict of interest since Picciani’s family company Agrobilara is a shareholder in Tamoio which is the supplier of gravel for some of the venues.

However a Sports Ministry statement said: “The ministry does not commission work. The contracts for the Games have already been completed and were managed by the International Olympic Committee, the Brazilian Olympic Committee and the mayor of Rio de Janeiro.”

Picciani is the third sports minister this year after George Hilton and Ricardo Leyser as well as the fifth since Rio de Janeiro won the right to host the Olympics in 2009.

He is a member of Temer’s PMDB but was one of its few members who voted against the opening of impeaching proceedings against Rousseff.

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