FEBRUARY 13 - MADRID 2016 today published its official candidature file which has this week been hand-delivered to the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne.

 

Madrid's Mayor, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, and the bid's chief executive, Mercedes Coghen presented the dossier at a press conference which took place in Caixa Fórum in the Spanish capital.

 

Copies of the candidature file were distributed and bid leaders spoke personally about what it means to be a part of the Madrid 2016 Olympic bid.

 

Speakers included Spain's Secretary of State for Sport Jaime Lissavetzky, president of the Spanish Olympic Committee Alejandro Blanco, the president of the Spanish Paralympic Committee Miguel Carballeda, and Spain’s IOC member Juan Antonio Samaranch Jnr.    

 

Ruiz-Gallardón said: "We are proud to have produced a bid combining the values of the Olympic Movement with those from our city where citizens of the world co-exist.

 

"Among these values are passion, tolerance, the desire for continual improvement, solidarity, integrity and team work.

 

"That is why we say these are 'the Games with the Human Touch'."

 

Coghen said, "This dossier embodies our DNA.

 

"It is not only a presentation of the technical aspects of our bid, but also describes our essence, our philosophy and the character of the Madrid and Spanish people.

 

"The document not only contains information on the sports, venues, infrastructure and finances of the bid, but also the culture, environment, transport, safety, education and perhaps the most important thing, the legacy of the Games for Madrid and the Olympic movement."

 

Each chapter of the bid book has a picture of a Madrid citizen drawn from different age groups, social or ethnic backgrounds. 

 

They all attended today’s launch event and were presented with a framed print.

 

Mayors of other Spanish cities including Barcelona and Valencia were also video linked to today’s launch event. 

 

The candidature file, written in three languages -English, French and Spanish - explains in meticulous detail the scope of the Madrid bid covering 600 pages, three volumes, 17 topics, 500 guarantees and 80 images, officials claimed. 

 

Since May last year over 150 people, each an expert in their own area, have been working together to produce a document which truly reflects the strengths of hosting the 2016 Games in Madrid. 

 

The book included major contributions from the Madrid City Hall, three Commissions of the Community of Madrid, seven Departments of Central Government, local Governments of the partner cities as well as supporting institutions from all over Spain. 

 

There has also been collaboration and external advice from high profile companies and organizations in Spain, many of which pledged financial support for the Madrid bid.

 

The 17 chapters of the candidature file cover the following topics: Vision, legacy and communication; overall concept of the Olympic Games; political and economic climate and structure; legal aspects; customs and immigration formalities; environment and meteorology; finance; marketing; sport and venues; Paralympic Games; Olympic Village; medical services and doping control; security; accommodation; transport; technology; and media operations.

 

The Madrid 2016 candidature file demonstrates that the city has the experience and is ready to host the Olympic Games, Coghen claimed. 

 

In particular, she claimed that 77 per cent of the sports’ venues are already complete or under construction. 

 

Madrid can host a compact Games as 96 per cent of the venues are in a radius of 10km, allowing the whole city to enjoy hosting the 2016 Olympics, Coghen said.

 

Madrid was considered to have been unlucky not to have beaten London to host the 2012 Games, being elimated in the penultimate round.

 

Ruiz-Gallardón said: "The Madrid 2016 bid was born out of a determination to overcome every challenge we faced in our previous Olympic experience for the 2012 Games, as well as facing fresh competition from the cities of Chicago, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro –w ho have joined us on this Olympic journey.

 

"This dossier is inspired by the same desire for continual improvement, improving the proposal and the city itself.

 

"Madrid 2016 is a well thought-out candidacy; we aim to improve the quality of life of our citizens, to strengthen social cohesion and to create a more sustainable urban environment.

 

"It is, first of all, a proposal that supports progress, which uses sport as an engine for sustainable development, and that will generate a united sports, cultural, social and environmental legacy of infrastructures."