Madrid 2020 Bid Failure Likely To Impact Spanish Sport, Infrastructure

The failure of Madrid's bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games "is certain to have an impact on Spanish sport," according to XINHUA. For example, the aquatic center, despite being described as complete, "is currently just a hole in the ground surrounded by a concrete skeleton." Meanwhile the "Olympic Stadium" may have a metro station bearing that very name, "but the fact is that so far, just one of the four stands has been erected and that stand is far from completion." Although it is uncertain just how much the failure of the Madrid bid will affect the construction of the aquatic center -- the Madrid local authority will have to pay €4M ($5.3M) compensation to the constructor if work is stopped -- "work on the Olympic Stadium will have to proceed, given that it will be the new home of Atletico Madrid football club" (XINHUA, 9/10).