IOC: Rio Olympics were ‘perfect imperfect games’

International Olympic Committee, IOC, President Thomas Bach, center, speaks with IOC members Angela Ruggiero, right, of the US and Ser Miang Ng, left, of Singapore at the opening of the first day of the executive board meeting of the IOC, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP) International Olympic Committee, IOC, President Thomas Bach, center, speaks with IOC members Angela Ruggiero, right, of the US and Ser Miang Ng, left, of Singapore at the opening of the first day of the executive board meeting of the IOC, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

By Associated Press December 6, 2016 1 min read

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) – A few months after the closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, IOC officials have come up with a tagline for South America’s first Olympics: “The most perfect imperfect games.”

The International Olympic Committee held a news conference on Tuesday to accentuate the positives of the Rio Games, which were held amid Brazil’s political and economic crisis and experienced problems with empty seats, green water and other organizational issues.

Christophe Dubi, the IOC’s executive director of the Olympic Games, says: “The games worked. Were they perfect? No.”

The IOC has gone out of its way to defend the Rio Games, seeking to blunt any criticism and encourage potential future host cities.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams says “someone described them as the most perfect imperfect games,” adding that “it’s actually quite a good characterization.”