POSTED: Friday March 6th 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Madrid’s two main football clubs become 2016 Olympic bid envoys

Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid

 
Madrid, 6 March 2009 - Football clubs Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid, which “represent better than anyone the essence of the Olympic spirit: effort, teamwork, consistency, improvement, sacrifice,” have been named official envoys for the Madrid 2016 Olympic bid by the city’s Mayor, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, at a ceremony in the Spanish capital today. The Mayor also described the teams as “an example to young people” and “probably the city’s best sporting ambassadors, with a spirit of sport and camaraderie which characterises Spanish football”. Both teams will face one another in a high-emotion derby match tomorrow, for which the Mayor wished them well.
 
Madrid is very close to achieving its great objective which it has been working towards since July 2006 upon deciding to bid for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. At the same time, both Madrid clubs are contesting positions in the Champions Soccer League. “Every effort, every sacrifice, each little victory takes us a step closer to our dream,” argued the Mayor – sentiments shared strongly by both Madrid teams along with everyone working on the Olympic bid.
 
Madrid 2016 recently delivered its candidature file to the IOC in Switzerland, detailing the reliability and solvency of the city’s Olympic project with firm guarantees making it “a winning bet on a winning city”. The next step is to welcome in May the IOC Evaluation Commission which will experience first-hand everything the city has to offer in hosting the best Summer Games in history.
 
Referring to the breadth and depth of public support, Ruiz-Gallardón noted how much in evidence this was – not only amongst Olympic and Paralympic athletes but institutions and key social players in Spain, headed up by the Royal Family. They are joined by many members of Spanish society who – whilst not directly linked with sport – have agreed to be part of the family of envoys and take on the responsibility and shared values that entails. Speaking to the city’s teams as new envoys, the Mayor said: “You are the pride of our city and authentic ambassadors of Spanish football – now you are our voice in promoting the bid on a national and international level”.
 
“Madrid is the best bid,” said Enrique Cerezo, President of Atlético Madrid.  “We have an ideal: Madrid and the Olympics, and that on October 2nd we will get the Games.”
 

Vicente Boluda, President of Real Madrid, described the appointment of the club as Madrid 2016 envoys as “a real distinction” adding how the team, which bears the insignia of Spain now has the added honour of being Madrid 2016 envoys.  Boluda also expressed the fraternal chance both clubs now have “to raise together the flag of Madrid 2016”.

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Keywords · Madrid 2016 · Olympic Bid · Real Madrid · Atlético de Madrid · soccer · football

Name: Malcom Munro
Organization: Madrid 2016 Olympic Bid
Email:
Phone: +44 (0) 7795 013006
URL: http://www.madrid2016.es/EN/Paginas/Home.aspx

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