Lausanne: The IOC is "fully supportive of peaceful protest" in Brazil and confident the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will bring major benefits to the city and country.
Anti-government protests have spread across Brazil in the past week. Originally triggered by an increase in bus and subway fares, the demonstrations have also targeted the billions of dollars being spent on hosting the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Games.
The IOC awarded the Olympic to Rio in 2009, sending the games to South America for the first time and rewarding Brazil for its emergence on the global economic stage. The current scenes of mass protests and police crackdowns have underlined the challenges ahead for Rio.
"The Olympic Games in 2016 will bring significant benefits to the whole population of Rio, improving the city in terms of transport, infrastructure and social housing, as well as bringing a considerable sporting legacy for Brazil," the IOC said in a statement Thursday to The Associated Press.
The International Olympic Committee said polls have showed that the majority of the population support the games "and the legacy they will bring." The unrest has also raised questions about Brazil's ability to provide security for Olympics.
"We are always fully supportive of peaceful protest and remain confident in the ability of the Games as a powerful catalyst for improving the world through sport," the IOC said. City, state and other local governments are spending more than $12 billion on projects for the Olympics in Rio.
The demonstrations have coincided with the Confederation Cup football tournament, a dress rehearsal for next year's World Cup. In an interview with Brazil's Globo TV network, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said he could "understand that people are not happy, but they should not use football to make their demands heard." "We did not impose the World Cup on Brazil," he said.
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