IOC Evaluation Commission Notes Madrid's Construction Progress
The IOC Evaluation Commission Friday in Madrid "wrapped up a whirlwind five weeks of globetrotting to see the four candidates" for the '16 Olympics, and commission Chair Nawal El Moutawakel noted that Madrid has 77% of its venues "in place or under construction," according to Philip Hersh of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. The construction progress includes the aquatics center and Olympic Stadium, and marks a "distinctly different" note from rival bid cities Chicago, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. El Moutawakel said the venues are "magnificent," and the progress is "added value for the bid of Madrid." But IOC Olympic Games Exec Dir Gilbert Felli "curbed Spanish enthusiasm by saying that already having the venues -- many new -- is 'a good asset' but not the only way to approach the issue." Hersh noted candidate cities "have just one more major opportunity to present themselves to the voters" ahead of the October 2 election in Copenhagen, as a June 17-18 meeting in Switzerland will be the "first briefing of its type, created by the IOC to fill an information gap opened by the ban on individual member visits to bid cities" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/10). ATP World Tour player Rafael Nadal, Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid F Raul Gonzalez Blanco and former cyclist Miguel Indurain appeared Friday at a royal function with the Evaluation Commission to show their support for the Madrid bid (Madrid 2016).
MAKING A WINNING BID: Former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, when asked what advice he would give "anyone from any of the four bidding cities seeking to sway the IOC members," said, "To convince them that all will be ok, no problems. That also you have the guarantee of the government; that is very much important. ... Maybe the most important is to have the full support of the population." UNIVERSAL SPORTS' Alan Abrahamson noted "many believe the appearance of President Obama in Copenhagen holds the potential to swing the 2016 race Chicago's way." But Samaranch, who "professed his formal neutrality in reviewing the 2016 race," said, "President Obama is a very popular man. But until now regarding sports he is nothing. ... In Copenhagen there will be a minimum of three heads of states. Japan will send the prime minister. But from these heads of states the only one who is Olympic is the Spanish king," Juan Carlos, who competed in the '72 Munich Games (WCSNBLOGS.com, 5/8). Still, Kevin Sullivan Communications Founder Kevin Sullivan on his blog wrote an appearance by Obama in Copenhagen "could deliver the knockout punch" for Chicago, as his "popularity overseas and specifically in Europe will undoubtedly help land some votes" (KSULLIVANCOMMUNICATIONS.com, 5/4).
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