Madrid hands in dossier for 2020 Olympics candidacy

Alejandro Blanco, the President of the Spanish Olympic Committee and the bid by the city of Madrid to host the 2020 Olympic Games this Tuesday presented the campaign's technical dossier at the offices of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne (Switzerland). Blanco was accompanied by Theresa Zabell, the head of International Relations, Raul Chapado, who is the Director General of Sports and Manuel Cano, who is in charge of relations with the Spanish media. They handed the 148 page document to Jacqueline Barrett, the Director of Relations with the candidate cities. Madrid, is presenting its third successive candidacy to host the Games after losing out to London and Rio de Janeiro in the races for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. The rivals of the Spanish capital are Tokyo, Rome, Baku, Istanbul and Doha and Blanco was optimistic Madrid's campaign had got off to a good start. "The first impression is always positive, because Madrid is a candidate that is already well known and respected and the dossier is well presented. It is an important day for the candidacy. We are pleased with the way it has gone and we hope that when the Commission reads the document, they will see the joy and hopes that we have placed in it. That work and expectation will be rewarded with the points they award us," he said. The dossier consists of 105 questions which had to be responded to by the bid about issues such as venues, transport, the environment, medical services, security, government and public support and many other issues. The next important date for all of the cities aiming to host the 2020 Olympics is May 23rd, when the International Olympic Committee meets in Quebec to decide which of them will be officially be confirmed as Candidate Cities.