NBA Star Talks Up Madrid 2020
Basketball player Pau Gasol, Spain’s flagbearer at the London 2012 Olympics, was wheeled out by Madrid 2020 to offer an athlete perspective Thursday.
The seven-foot Los Angeles Laker, who will be part of the bid’s presentation team on Saturday, spoke articulately in support of the bid.
"I guess when our reckoning comes, nerves will be there. I hope those nerves may transform into greater feelings," he told reporters.
The three-time Olympian said hosting the 2020 Games in Madrid would be "a big boost for our sports and society."
"We have learned from each previous bid and made our bid stronger," he told reporters. "We have grown up, so to speak.
"The fact we haven’t given up but insisted in bidding [again] represents sporting values."
Baldwin Stumps for Wrestling
Actor Billy Baldwin is in Buenos Aires to support wrestling in its bid to get back on the program.He is the Hollywood leader of the "Committee to Preserve Olympic Wrestling" and has been working with USA Wrestling.
Baldwin, who recently appeared on television in "Gossip Girl" and "Hawaii Five-O" and starred in the film "Backdraft,"wrestled in high school and college.
Wrestling will be the first sport holding a press conference on Friday, followed by baseball/softball and then squash. When the IOC votes on sports Sunday, one is hoping to be added to the list ofOlympic sports for 2020.
Media Restricted Due to Space Concerns
Anthony Edgar, IOC Head of Media Operations, acknowledged restrictions on IOC Session media in his presentation to Olympic journalists on Thursday. Space is more limited this year, he said, because the Session takes place in a hotel instead of a convention center.
Perhaps the most noticeable change from previous Sessions is that seats at the press conference for the winning bid city will be allocated. The press conference with Rogge and leaders of what will then become the 2020 organizing committee is a hugely popular event. However, the press conference room has space for around 200 people. Some 1700 journalists were accredited for the Session.
Multiple mixed zones will be established following the 2020 presentations to interview bid teams following their presentations.
Written by Karen Rosen, Mark Bisson and Ed Hula III.
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