Athletes from next year's Olympic host nation have already won more than 50 medals in the opening days of the Games, including 16 golds, with many of them celebrated by a right-armed salute towards the Brazilian flag as Hino Nacional Brasileiro is played.

This military gesture was displayed by those athletes who are members of the country's armed forces, particularly in the sports of judo and swimming.

Some have admitted they were strongly "recommended" to celebrate in this way in order to defend the spirit of militarism.

Some believe this contravenes PASO and International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules banning any kind of demonstration or political propaganda during the medals presentation.

In a statement, the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), however, insisted they are 100 per cent in support of the celebration, claiming it is a "demonstration of patriotism without any political connotations, perfectly compatible with the athlete's excitement to get on the podium".

PASO senior vice-president Ivar Sisniega, who assumed Presidential duties following the departure of Julio Maglione yesterday to Kazan for the FINA World Championsips, claims they are also unconcerned.

"Every nation has a different way of saluting the flag," the Mexican told insidethegames today.

"Americans like to put their hands over their heart and Mexicans have a different way of doing it.

"We respect that so long as it is okay with the Government and National Olympic Committee and it is not making a political statement."

He added that it is "stretching it" to claim the athletes are commercially endorsing the military, because they are in fact members of the armed forces and could be called up to active service if required.

The COB has worked closely with the country's armed forces in recent years in order to help provide support for athletes on the road to Rio 2016.

In 2010 this was developed through the "High Performance Athletes Merger Programme", a partnership between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Sports introduced ahead of the following year's World Military Games in Rio.

Most of these athletes, including judo gold medal winners Tiago Camilo, Charles Chibana and Luciano Correa, all hold the rank of third sergeant.

In return for receiving financial and logistical support to help prepare for competition, they are required to participate in military training for a week every six months. 

More than 600 high performance athletes are members of the forces, including 123 members of the 590-strong delegation competing at the Pan American Games here.

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