Madrid Olympic bid still on despite calls to follow Italy’s lead
Committee says it won't change its plans despìte Rome's sudden withdrawal United Left party urges city government to follow Italians' lead
Madrid’s Olympic committee said Tuesday that it won’t be changing its plans to bid for the 2020 games following news of Rome’s sudden withdrawal from the contest due to Italy’s financial crisis.
Alejandro Blanco, president of the Spanish committee, presented the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday in Lausanne, Switzerland with the first technical survey the candidate cities must answer as their first step in the selection process.
Madrid assembly members from the United Left (IU) party urged the city government to follow Italy’s lead and withdraw the bid because of financing. Besides Madrid, Doha, Istanbul, Tokyo and Baku, Azerbaijan have also said they will bid.
