RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (AUGUST 19, 2016) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) (SOUNDBITE) (English) 2016 RIO GAMES SPOKESMAN, MARIO ANDRADA, SAYING: “We obviously accept his apology and we appreciate it. The understanding that we have, even from yesterday, is that the Brazilian population, and I’m speaking before everybody knows about his personal apology, the Brazilian population was quite disappointed in the actions and the facts. We got 1,800,000 people on Rio 2016 Twitter complaining about the whole thing. Mentions around this case was 2.5 percent of the total mentions we had since the beginning of the Games. So, it’s clear that the Brazilian population was kind of felt humiliated by the early part of the issue.” // “And I think that the Brazilian population will accept his apology and as we want to put this matter to an end and I don’t think, despite the movement of the last couple of days, I don’t see this as being a factor that will mark these Games. Or, as a matter of fact I don’t think that history carries much weight on any negative facts that take place in Olympic Games. What goes to history is the huge contribution by the athletes and also by the artists when you think about the opening and closing ceremonies.” // (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, MARK ADAMS, SAYING: “The IOC has great sympathy with those feelings; people feeling upset with what seems to have happened. So, we’re glad about the apology. We think it’s entirely appropriate and we welcome it and we hope that we can now carry on as we have been concentrating on sport and the performances which we’ve been seeing which have been marvellous.” // (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) MAYOR OF RIO DE JANEIRO, EDUARDO DA COSTA PAES, SAYING: “Concerning the swimmers the only thing I feel is pity, contempt. “What a shame that they have some faults in their character. I think that’s their and the US committee’s problem to sort out. They certainly do not represent the U.S. athletes who came here. “We definitely all feel very honoured at the presence of the U.S. athletes at the Olympics, the number of medals, the performance the American athletes have given, including Michael Phelps in the swimming. Michael Phelps is a hero for Brazilians and we have had the best experience possible with the U.S. athletes.” 5. NEWS CONFERENCE IN SESSION 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) MAYOR OF CITY OF RIO DE JANEIRO EDUARDO DA COSTA PAES, SAYING: “I think all of us have to accept the apologies of the U.S. Olympic Committee. A correct gesture from them. “In the same way our committee said sorry when we thought that acts of urban violence happened, it is very good of the U.S. committee to say sorry and of course we accept their apologies.”