Spain united in bid to secure 2020 Olympic Games
A UNITED Spain is prepared for the fight for Madrid to win the right to host the 2020 Olympic Games, said the bid’s president, Alejandro Blanco.
The former judoka — who is also president of the Spanish National Olympic Committee — insisted the bid had united people nationwide who see it as a way of easing the dire situation of the Spanish economy.
Unemployment was at a record 27.16% overall at the end of the first quarter as the country struggles through a double-dip recession sparked by the collapse of a decade-long building boom in 2008. But such is the enthusiasm across the country that Spain’s World Cup and European Championship-winning coach, Vicente del Bosque, has been encouraged to sign up as an unpaid volunteer.
“It is clear that hosting the Olympic Games will serve as a booster for all the economic spheres of our country,” said Blanco. “This is a project for Spain. The whole country is involved — the business world, top political and sporting authorities, the media and the whole of Spanish sport.
“However, it is citizens’ support that matters the most. This support is reflected in both our surveys and those conducted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which increase day after day as we move towards September (the vote for who hosts the Games takes place on September 7 in Buenos Aires).
“There are more than 40,000 volunteers already, and interestingly, our volunteer No 40,000 is the Spanish national team coach, Vicente del Bosque.
“It is essential for all of us to reach victory and this is why we work 24/7.”
Blanco disagreed with some IOC members who claim Madrid will reach the second round of voting at the expense of one of the other two candidates, Tokyo or Istanbul, because the Spaniards built up a considerable amount of goodwill and a favourable reaction before finishing second behind Rio de Janeiro in the bidding for the 2016 Games.
“First of all, I have to say we respect all opinions, but we believe this is our best chance to be awarded the Olympic Games by the IOC, and this is the reason why we are working and explaining our project,” he said.
“We have nothing but gratitude, hope, passion and certainty in success. If we all gather as a country we may win. If we truly believe, we must fight. This is a project for Spain, aiming at achieving social transformation through sport.”
Blanco said that placing the emphasis on youth was particu- larly important in Spain, where the rate of unemployment for those between the ages of 16 and 24 has soared to 57.22%.
“This bid has been designed for young people,” he said. “We have been listening to them since the beginning of the bid and we know what they want and what they expect from us. According to surveys, 90% of people under 35 support the Games in our city.
“This is the best indicator proving that youngsters see the Games as a window to opportunities, and a boost to recover from the difficult situation we are currently going through. According to our motto, illuminating their future is our priority”, said Blanco. Sapa-AFP