In the midst of a battle with the Government over the incidents during the final of the Vuelta, the Olympic dream flutters again in Madrid but without spreading its wings. Isabel Díaz Ayuso has seized the controversial "boycott" of cyclists by pro-Palestinian groups encouraged by Moncloa to assert that despite the historical setbacks that the Madrid bid has faced, the capital aspires to host the Olympic Games someday.
A "statement of intent," as described by those around the regional president, which beyond the eternal rumor represents a novelty: until now, the initiative to aspire to be an Olympic host had been taken by the Madrid City Council. Now, however, it has been the President of the Community of Madrid who has raised her voice and reminded that the capital maintains its intention to host the world's greatest sporting event. But nothing more: no work teams, no deadlines, no plan for the development of the necessary infrastructure. Any contact with the COE (Spanish Olympic Committee)? Yes, but very discreet and informal.
For now, as this newspaper has learned, Ayuso has simply sung the same tune that other Madrid leaders sang years ago who did shape an Olympic bid. But to this day, there is nothing more than that, the desire for Madrid, as a common home of Hispanic culture and host of numerous sporting events, to prioritize preparing for the Olympics.
This would require a huge effort and could be frustrated if the dynamics seen two weekends ago with the cancellation of the Vuelta final become a regular occurrence. Ayuso has been warning in recent days that the images seen during the failed stage in the city center represent a significant discredit for other major sporting events that the capital will host in the short and medium term, such as the NFL at the Bernabéu, Formula 1 at Ifema in a year, or the Champions League final at the Metropolitano in the spring of 2027.
All these events would bring the Olympic dream closer to Madrid. Furthermore, the new criteria with which the IOC selects the host city for the Games - evaluating the logistical conditions and previous facilities of several cities instead of choosing among several candidates - is favorable for the Spanish capital. But scenes like those that occurred at the end of the Vuelta would "penalize" the Olympic efforts significantly, according to various sources consulted.
If there is one thing that the Madrid Administration agrees on, it is that the capital "deserves" to host the Games. Yesterday, José Luis Martínez-Almeida emphasized this: "I have no doubt that sooner or later Madrid will be a host," said the mayor, a day after Ayuso stated that she will "fight" for this goal.
A hypothetical challenge that would be at least eleven years away. The 2032 Games in Brisbane are the furthest confirmed. Madrid could aspire to be a host in 2036, a date, however, for which Doha is favored after hosting the World Cup in 2022. 2040, therefore, could be the target date.
The aspiration for the Olympics is a thorny issue in Madrid politics, given the failure of all those leaders who have tried for a quarter of a century to bring the Games to the capital. José María Álvarez del Manzano's plan failed after leaving the mayor's office when it was decided in 2005 that London would host the 2012 Games. Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón took over and in 2006 announced that Madrid would try to be the host city for the 2016 Olympics, but lost in the final round to Rio de Janeiro. And Ana Botella suffered a new setback, the third consecutive one, when in 2013 the IOC selected Tokyo to host the 2020 Games.
Despite Madrid having submitted a bid in the 1960s, the three failed attempts in 2012, 2016, and 2020 caused a significant political and social trauma in the capital regarding this matter. A curse that Ayuso seems not to fear now, as translated from her words. But the dream, if it were to come true, is distant, as unlike previous bids, Madrid does not even have a plan today to build an Olympic stadium that would serve as the heart of the Games.
An important handicap that does not seem to currently hinder the messages that Ayuso is sending, perhaps to pave the way for the officialization of a bid for the 2040 Games. "Hopefully we will finally host the Games," the president also said in February, at the Laureus Awards ceremony, considered the Oscars of international sports. Awards that, on the contrary, have found their home in Madrid for two consecutive years and could pave the way for a future Olympic bid.