Athletes Use Military Facilities to Train for World Cup and Olympics

São João Fort, the location where the city of Rio de Janeiro was founded in 1565, was also the place where physical education took shape in the country. For example, Lieutenant Guilherme Paraense won the first Olympic medal for Brazil in the Antwerp games of 1920, after having trained at the Army Physical Training Center (CCFEX). The Brazilian soccer team who won the 1970 World Cup in Mexico also trained there. Nowadays, the Brazilian Army wants to turn the CCFEX into a center of excellence that will also provide support to the Brazilian Olympic Committee (BOC) in preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games. Major General Décio dos Santos Brasil, president of the Army Sports Committee, was assigned to assist with the task and welcomed a visit from Diálogo for the following interview.