Despite a second incident of racist chanting at a high-profile soccer game in the city, Madrid 2012 Olympic officials still say the city is the right choice to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Madrid Mayor Alberto Ruiz Gallardon noted that a video promoting the 2012 bid campaign describes Madrid as a city open to all. At a ceremony announcing the campaign he said, “it does not belong to anyone – it belongs to everyone”.
Madrid Olympic bid spokesman Carlos Martin Usieto downplayed such displays as isolated, reports the Associated Press, and said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) pays more attention to a candidate city’s actual dossier.
Referring to a previous game where there was similar chanting at black English players during a match against the Spanish national team, he said, “it was the biggest setback we have suffered in all these months because it was a setback that crossed borders. But we believe it was an isolated incident. This country and this city are not at all racist”.
The IOC’s evaluation commission will be visiting Madrid February 3 to 6. It’s the first of the five 2012 bid cities to be evaluated.
