Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Olympics

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

President Barack Obama today announced that the Honorable John Kerry, Secretary of State of the United States, will lead the Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Federative Republic of Brazil.

Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Summer Games

The Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Federative Republic of Brazil will be held on August 5, 2016.

The delegation headed by Secretary Kerry, will attend the Opening Ceremony and athletic events and meet with American athletes. Secretary Kerry is also expected to express support for Los Angeles’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Members of the Presidential Delegation

  • The Honorable Liliana Ayalde, United States Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil
  • The Honorable Mari Carmen Aponte, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
  • The Honorable Elizabeth Allen, Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Deputy Communications Director
  • The Honorable Ellie Schafer, Special Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Visitors Office
  • Mr. Mark Spitz, 9-time Olympic gold medalist (1968 and 1972), 1-time Olympic silver medalist (1968), 1-time Olympic bronze medalist (1968), men’s swimming

To help U.S. citizens prepare for a safe and enjoyable stay in Brazil during the Games, the U.S. Mission to Brazil has developed several resources containing travel information for visitors and residents, including a USinRio Smartphone App (Apple and Google Play) and a printable brochure. For other tools, visit the Department of State’s Olympics/Paralympics fact sheet. For the latest information for American citizens traveling to Brazil, follow us on Twitter @USCitsBrazil and join #USinRio Facebook event.