But without the agreement with the Aragonese government of Javier Lambán, the schedule has been altered and the IOC’s visit to the Pyrenees in May has been postponed, waiting to see if the agreement on the candidacy of the Pyrenees. The COE acknowledges that, in order to be chosen by the IOC, it was important to be able to explain that it was a candidacy capable of reconciling entities with opposing political agendas and to go ahead of other regions that aspire to be the venue for the meeting. of 2030. And, right now, the first idea is not a reality because of Javier Lambán’s change of position. And the second may fail as well, because the IOC will first visit the American city of Salt Lake City (Colorado). The COE hoped to be ahead of the other candidates, playing its cards well because a proposal in the Pyrenees was more attractive in the eyes of the IOC than elsewhere, because it opened a new region to the Winter Olympics. “The IOC is probably more interested in the Pyrenees than other games in the US, because the summer of 2028 will be in Los Angeles.” After a few years in which it seemed that many Western countries did not want to host the Games, the change in model proposed by the IOC, demanding to take advantage of existing facilities and spend less, has allowed Olympism to return to countries that until recently they seemed to turn their backs on him, with appointments in Paris (summer 2024), Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo (winter 2026), Los Angeles (summer 2028) and Brisbane (summer 2032).
Sapporo, prepared
The candidacy of the Pyrenees knows that soon the Japanese city of Sapporo could also present its technical proposal, another level rival because within the IOC there is a sector that defends the need to reward the Japanese for having organized the Games of Pandemic summer, without spectators and with many problems. Vancouver, Canada, is also considering making the move, though it is debating whether it should aspire to the 2030 Winter Games or try to host the 2036 Summer Games for the first time.
Speaking to Europa Press, Alejandro Blanco admitted that they were “just in time”: “An IOC delegation was due to come to see the facilities in May and now we have to postpone it. We are close to the limit. “Everything should be clear this May, if we don’t have to take another approach. This week all the parties have met again, negotiating in the shadows an agreement that saves a candidacy that has made many turns since it was first proposed by Barcelona City Council, with Joan Hereu at the helm, the 2010. . The COE had demanded to bring evidence to Aragon and in recent months it has been Javier Lamban who has used the candidacy as a political weapon to strengthen its image, demanding more evidence in its territory. The idea of the COE was to be able to take the photograph with all the parties presenting the technical proposal a few weeks ago, but Lambán dynamited it asking to have tests in the three valleys of the Aragonese Pyrenees, among other things. In May, IOC President Thomas Bach will visit Madrid, the deadline for reaching a political agreement.
The IOC changed the way the Games were chosen a few years ago. Now there is no big vote, with one vote for each state committee. Now the proposals are received, a technical delegation visits the territory, proposes improvements and decides which one fits best. The deadline to choose the venue for the 2030 Games would be the first months of 2023. In addition, this summer the Catalan Pyrenees will vote in a referendum on whether or not they want a Games.
The proposal that Lambán rejects proposes that in the Catalan Pyrenees the most prestigious tests of alpine skiing be organized in La Molina-Masella, as well as those of snowboarding and acrobatic skiing in Baqueira-Beret, and those of cross-country skiing. mountain in Boí Taüll. In addition, the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona and a second facility in the city, probably the future Palau de Gel of Barça, would be the scene of ice hockey. In the Aragonese Pyrenees, biathlon and cross-country skiing will be held at the Candanchú resort, with Zaragoza as the venue for figure skating and speed skating on the long and short track, while Jaca would host curling. Aragon would have more disciplines than Catalonia, but not all valleys would be tested.
