Spanish leaders promote their Olympic bid

Madrid 2016 offers safety

In times of global financial instability, Spanish leaders promote their Olympic bid at SportAccord

Leading figures from the worlds of politics and sport in Spain joined Madrid 2016 CEO Mercedes Coghen today on the podium at Sportaccord in Denver to commend their capital city’s bid to host the Olympic & Paralympic Games in 2016. Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, Mayor of Madrid, Jaime Lissavetzky, Secretary of State for sport, and Juan Antonio Samaranch, Spain’s IOC member, all spoke passionately about their dreams and plans in pursuing their goal of hosting the Olympics and using it to bring about social change.

In the sure hope of staging the most prestigious event in the sporting calendar, Madrid’s Mayor Gallardón outlined the city’s commitment to ‘make the Games of 2016 the most magnificent Olympic & Paralympic Games’ with ‘a project that will transform our city, inspired by our vision’. The Mayor was clear the Games would ‘jumpstart environmental practices’ along with the development of ‘a new urban model of coexistence for our people, based on the principles of respect, diversity and tolerance’ which would ‘leave a lasting impression for new generations, a valuable inheritance’. He spoke with the confidence of both economic safety and institutional safety, as the Madrid is fully guaranteed and has unprecedented levels of public support at 92.6%. ‘In times of global financial instability, Madrid 2016 offers safety,’ he added.

Former Olympic gold medallist Mercedes Coghen was passionate when speaking of the Games, “I live them with my head and I live them with my heart,” she said. “Madrid will throw itself passionately into the Games…sharing its contagious vitality and cultural heritage with all the Olympic Family members, visitors and spectators.” As a sportswoman, Coghen spoke of the ‘energy, excitement, togetherness and friendship’ she felt at the Barcelona ’92 Games and how she is determined to bring the same feelings to Madrid by succeeding in the bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Juan Antonio Samaranch commented how Madrid ‘needs minimum investment to host the Games…because most sports’ venues and infrastructure are already in place’. He underlined how this was ‘the moment for Madrid, the moment for Spain’ where the sporting establishment would ‘find a great ally for the organization of competitions and training camps’ and becoming ‘a better city that grows and changes through the values of the Olympic Movement’.

Jaime Lissavetzky, Secretary of State for Sport with governmental responsibility for policy and promotion of sport in Spanish life commented on how the bid ‘embodies the dreams of all Spanish people’ and has the full financial backing of the national government He also referred to the ‘clear evidence of the increasing importance and passion for sport in Spain’ which helped ‘a country with less than 50 million inhabitants to have such a big impact’ in the world of sport. Lissavetzky, who has recently being elected as European Representative by the governments of Europe to the WADA executive team, noted how Spain was at the forefront of fair play, having equally passed a law against violence, intolerance, racism and xenophobia in sport.

ENDS

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