Brasileiro side Flamengo "signed a contract" with the U.S. Olympic Committee and the club's HQ in Gávea will be the training center for U.S. athletes from July until September of next year -- a period that "involves preparation" for the Olympics and Paralympics, according to Vinicius Castro of UOL. The U.S. Olympic Committee's "investment" for the use of the club's facilities is $1.2M. The amount includes "renovating the gymnasiums, complementary construction projects and a type of exchange program among athletes" in order to increase and exchange their experiences. By signing the contract, the club "not only attained updates on its [athletic] installations, but also gained access to the 'know-how' of Americans in Olympic sports." Despite the agreement, Flamengo President Eduardo Bandeira de Mello's administration "did not permit exclusivity" of the Gávea facility to the U.S. athletes. The "priority will be for the visitors" for Olympic training; however, members can still "utilize the facility" during specified hours. Flamengo Olympic Sports VP Alexandre Póvoa said, "It is more than a contract. It will function like a partnership and an exchange of ideas the right way. The idea is that Flamengo will be associated with the U.S. Olympic Committee in Brazil and internationally. ... The marketing is absolutely positive. ... It's a type of fundamental growth" (UOL, 4/11).
