He will make the transition from his current role as President of the bid committee if Rio is selected to follow London 2012 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at its Session in Copenhagen on October 2.

Nuzman's appointment has been communicated to Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in a letter sent by Brazil's Sports Minister Orlando Silva on behalf of the Federal Government, Rio Governor Sergio Cabral and Mayor Eduardo Paes that also told him that Carlos Osorio will continue in his current role as general secretary.

This appointment is aimed to reassure the IOC of a smooth transition if Rio is elected to be first city in South America to host the Games.

Cabral said: "The three levels of Government are unanimous in our view that Carlos Nuzman and Carlos Osorio are the people to lead a Rio 2016 Organising Committee.

"We have worked together since before the successful 2007 Pan and Parapan American Games and this team delivered then and is delivering now.

"We want the IOC to know that we want to be great partners if we are successful in being chosen as a Host City."

Nuzman, a 67-year-old lawyer who represented Brazil in volleyball at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, has been an IOC member since 2000.
 
He said: "We are delighted with this vote of confidence in our bid team and consider it a very important mandate as we look forward to delivering all the way to 2016.

"We have had total support from the Government throughout this campaign and as we head towards the final decision, we know that we can deliver Games of certainty, celebration and transformation.

"Rio is ready."