Feliciano Mayoral, former head of Madrid’s failed bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, has rejected an offer to be second in command of Madrid’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Madrid’s city council offered him the position several weeks ago.
FIH Executive Board member and former Olympic Gold medallist Mercedes Coghen was recently selected head of Madrid 2016.
On her appointment Coghen, who worked on Madrid’s 2012 bid, called it a tremendous challenge and said she was confident “because I know I’ll have great professional people working with me”.
Other members of Madrid 2016 include Juan Antonio Samaranch Salisachs, son of former International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Juan Antonio Samaranch, and Tania Paessler, formerly a member of the New York 2012 bid committee. She will be the director of International Relations.
Meanwhile Moroccan superstar Hicham El Guerrouj has become a supporter of Madrid 2016. El Guerrouj was quoted Sunday in the Spanish newspaper Marca “I think they can win and I volunteer to support the bid and act as an ambassador for it if needed”.
El Guerrouj was a supporter of Paris’ failed bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
