In an exclusive interview with GamesBids.com at SportAccord in Athens Greece, Mercedes Coghen, CEO of Madrid 2016, called the race for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games “very close”.
GamesBids.com spoke to Coghen Tuesday about continental rotation and asked how Madrid will convince the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to choose Madrid as the Games will be in Europe in 2012.
Coghen said, “cities are not elected based on continents. We will emphasize changing cultures – Madrid is far from the Asian culture (Beijing 2008) and from the English culture (London 2012). Madrid will emphasize our Spanish culture – a change from other years.
When GamesBids asked how the bid committee will portray Madrid as a city Coghen said, “Madrid is a great city, a ‘Cinderella City’ where everyone that goes to Madrid feels at home. We want to offer something very special; we want to show we are passionate about sport”.
Regarding any changes in its bid Coghen said, “we were told we shouldn’t change our bid; it was a good bid. Still we did improve our bid. We will be recovering green areas; we will be regenerating the river. The public support is behind us. We want to try again. We want the Games”.
Madrid narrowly missed making the final round of voting for the 2012 Summer Games, which is being hosted by London.
