What the Papers Say - Spanish Reaction to IOC Evaluation Commission

(ATR) In Spain’s number one daily newspaper El Pais, Bruno Garcia was keen to echo the positive comments made in the only IOC press conference of the four-day inspection and published the closing words from Spain's Prince Felipe.

"The President of the IOC Evaluation Commission, Scotsman Sir Craig Reedie has concluded the four days of inspection of the Madrid bid with words of praise for a city he says he knows well and enjoys; as well as underlining the emphatic local support by Spanish citizens; concluding that the bid is economically viable thanks to the work already done and the cuts made in recent months; and the acceptance that whether or not this third bid is the definitive one, it is without doubt the best.

"Felipe of Bourbon, the bid’s honorary president said ‘the most important thing is to communicate our own confidence in the project.

"We got through this stage with outstanding marks - maybe even top marks," he said.

"I am very proud of a job well done. We can be confident about the serious, reliable and thorough manner in which our experts approached the information sessions. The final test is (at the vote) in Buenos Aires in September."

Spain’s second-best-selling daily El Mundo led with the words of bid president Alejandro Blanco: "The leaders of the Madrid 2020 bid could hardly contain their satisfaction on Thursday on hearing the words of the IOC Evaluation Commission about the work that all its team has completed in the last four days of examination.

"'Recently all we have heard about is money. Madrid offers an opportunity to the Olympic Project, it is responsible, optimizes resources and adapts them to what the IOC requires. If we look at the budgets presented in the last few years Madrid has the most balanced and this helps us. I doubt that having any more money available would produce a better project, we are already today enjoying a legacy in the city and the commission recognizes that.’

"Venues, finance sustainability, transport, despite having memorized all there is to know about these areas of the Madrid bid, the members of the IOC have asked questions again about everything, including the animals. In the session on the environment on Thursday they even asked if the building of the rowing venue in Getafe would affect a family of white storks that live in the area."

In Spain’s top-selling sports newspaper Marca, Almudena Rivera wrote:

"Madrid Mayor Ana Botella was in a positive mood after the four days of inspection by the IOC: ‘We are happy with how it all went, we are in a race now, we are like the athlete who has spent a long time training for the race of their life. We have improved and we will do all possible to get to the finishing line first. To have the Games in Madrid would be a dream for all of Spain, it would help our own self confidence and improve the economy.’"

Another Madrid-based sports paper, AS, headlined its positive spin on the final day of events with 'Wink from Reedie, maybe it´ll be third time lucky’" in reference to Craig Reedie's comments during the IOC press conference that Madrid's wait could finally come to an end at the third time of asking.

Compiled by Dermot Ledwith.

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