(ATR) ‘A la tercera va la vencida’, which roughly translates to third time lucky, was the most used phrase of the last few days in the Spanish capital.
However it was not to be. After a tie with Istanbul in the first round of voting, a tiebreaker vote burst Madrid’s Olympic dream for the third successive time.
There would be no fireworks as planned, the street party came to a sudden and unexpected end and people were left discussing the vagaries of the IOC voting system that had left their city again so close yet so far from organizing the Games.
There were many reasons for optimism, from the role of Prince Felipe, said to be much respected in Olympic circles, to the compact and technically outstanding nature of a bid that had 80 percent of the venues already built.
The gathering in the Puerta de Alcala with local acts entertaining the crowds was expected to be the party of all parties.
Meanwhile the national and international press waited patiently for the announcement at Caja Magica, the purpose- built tennis venue which would have been one of the venues in a Madrid Olympics.
The general consensus was this was Madrid’s best bid yet and if they could play the emotional card and transmit the warmth and passion of the Spanish people and their love for sport, at the same time answer coherently any doubts about the economy it would be enough to bring the Games to the city.
However it was not the economy in the end that was the focus of the attention but questions on doping and the blood bags that were ordered to be destroyed by a Spanish judge in the ‘Operacion Puerto’ doping scandal.
Those bags are still intact and await a further judicial ruling, but the damage was already done. Further doubts about the Madrid bid had been cast and the theatrical promise of a ‘cafe con leche’ from the city’s mayor Ana Botella could do little to lift them.
Other teething problems affected Madrid. Some press speculation noted that the decision by one Spanish paper to publish a list of 50 IOC members that had promised to vote for Madrid had caused problems earlier in the week.
The levels of English of some of the bid’s leaders English had caused much hilarity in certain parts of the Spanish press earlier in the week, but the final presentation was delivered in a polished and impressive manner with only Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy delivering in Spanish.
In the end it didn’t matter. All confidence faded on the mention of blood bags. Huge disappointment and time to reflect for a Madrid team that had worked non-stop to fulfil a dream.
Madrid bid leaders, looking exhausted, were seen boarding a shuttle bus to the Buenos Aires airport Sunday morning. Whether a fourth bid for the Games is in the cards remains to be seen.
Meanwhile the mayor of Barcelona says his city is ready to file a dossier for a 2022 Winter Olympic bid. But it needs the approval of a Spanish Olympic Committee that is licking the wound of its Buenos Aires defeat.
Written and reported by Dermot Ledwith in Madrid
For general comments or questions, click here
20 Years at #1: