He told them he was "near the end of his time" and asking them to award the 2016 Games to Madrid.
 

Samaranch, the 89-year-old Spaniard who was President of the IOC from 1980 to 2001 and is now its honorary lifetime President, reached out to voters as Madrid followed rivals Chicago, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro in presenting their case to follow London and host the Games.

He said: "I know that I am very near the end of my time.

"I am, as you know 89 years old.

"May I ask you to consider granting my country the honour and also the duty to organise the games in 2016.

"Thank you."
 

Samaranch then handed over to King Juan Carlos to continue Madrid's presentation, the last of the four bidding cities.

Madrid's presentation had been introduced by Samaranch's son, Juan Antonio Samarch junior, who has been leading the bid from the Spanish capital.

He said: "Our main feature is the human touch - putting individuals as people in front of infrastructure.
 

"We invite you to join us in this quest so that we can spread the magic.

"We are united in the belief that Madrid will deliver the most inspirational Games in 2016."

Madrid mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon pledged: "Madrid will welcome the world with open arms 24 hours a day."
 

He emphasised that Madrid, which narrowly lost out to London for 2012, were safe custodians of the Olympic ideal.
 

Ruiz-Gallardon said: "Madrid did not achieve the Games before but I do not consider that a failure - in sport the only failure is to give up.

"I'm convinced we can learn from the past."
 

Zapatero then took the floor to assert: "Madrid has a good and firm project with 77  per cent of necessary infrastructure is ready.
 

"This is a sure candidacy as Spain has shown it can brilliantly organise sports and cultural events."
 

Mercedes Coghen, a former hockey player who is now the chief executive of the Madrid 2016 and who won a gold medal the last time Spain hosted the Games at Barcelona in 1992, assured the IOC that they would put on a fantastic Olympics.

She said: "We are offering you a truly international Olympic Games that will touch the lives and inspire more people than ever before."
 

It was then the turn of Samaranch senior, who with plenty of emotional credit in the Olympic bank after all his years of service, asked his IOC colleagues a favour.

King Juan Carlos, who competed with Samaranch's successor as IOC President, Jacques Rogge, at the 1972 Munich Games, has been a passionate backer of Madrid's bid.

First underlining his family's links with the Olympic movement he went on to say: "I am convinced the world will be a better place to live in after Madrid 2016.

"By 2017 I have no doubt the Olympics will have changed lives forever."

Madrid's regional governor Esperanza Aguirre stressed the bid had the backing of all levels of Government - city, regional and national.

He said: "It's vital that all levels of government work together towards a common goal.

"We have excellent sports venues - good security, hotels and hospitals.

"Our offer goes well beyond your (the IOC's) expectation.

"Games can improve the lives of all our citizens in a society which is open, inclusive and cosmopolitan."