Xavier Trias does not rule out a Barcelona bid – Sport & Société

Mayor of Spain’s second city from 2011 to 2015, now a candidate in the municipal elections on May 28, Xavier Trias believes that Barcelona could again host the Summer Games in the years to come.

En 2013, Xavier Trias, then Mayor of Barcelona, ​​had expressly requested the support of the main municipal political groups to be able to engage the Catalan city in the race for the Olympic rings for the organization of the 2022 Winter Games.

Or, in October of the same yearthe Popular Party (right) had refused to support an initiative mentioned by the predecessor of Xavier Trias, leading to the abandonment of a project who was later briefly back on track for 2026before emerging again with a view to the 2030 Olympics.

Today, and after the withdrawal of the candidacy of Pyrénées-Barcelona last yeara new approach could be put in place in the event of electoral success for the former city councilor, who is competing to regain control of Spain’s second city in the municipal elections on May 28.

In fact, as Xavier Trias pointed out during a campaign intervention on the international influence of the Mediterranean city, the installation of a candidacy for the Summer Games is possible, even if a large consensus of the political class would be an essential prerequisite in order not to repeat the mistakes of previous attempts.

Taking advantage of this statement, the former Mayor also claimed to be in contact with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), specifying in passing according to his words reported by the Catalan media “Beteve”that the institution of Lausanne (Switzerland) would be “disappointed” of the municipal directions taken in recent years regarding the city’s Olympic ambition.

A way for Xavier Trias to scratch the balance sheet and the vision of the one who succeeded him in 2015, Ada Colau.

Reacting to the media coverage of his competitor – but nevertheless a possible ally after the municipal elections – the Popular Party candidate warned Xavier Trias about the need to keep any promises over time.

So that was declared by Daniel Sirerawho himself took a position in favor of a candidacy for the Games:

Doing it without anything else is absurd. He must first convince the population that it is a good idea.

The best thing Trias can do is be careful what he comes up with because then there are consequences..

For Daniel Sirera, the commitment to an Olympic and Paralympic project should in fact garner prior, and beyond institutional support, the confidence of the population while previous candidacies around the world have been confronted with popular fear concerning both the level of expenditure to be incurred for such an event, and the possible environmental and social repercussions thereof.

Before considering a reflection with a view to a future candidacy for the Summer Games, the two candidates for the municipal elections – without counting possible support among the other contenders for the Town Hall – will have to carry out their own campaign and succeed in winning a number of seats likely to tip the balance if necessary.

Even more, the idea of ​​a candidature for 2036 or for a following edition will absolutely have to be discussed with the relay of the IOC in Spain, namely the National Olympic Committee (COE) and its President, Alejandro Blanco.

In the spring of 2022, the latter had also raised the question of a Spanish candidacy for the Summer Games, with then the temptation of a project embodied by Madrid.

At this moment, however, the WCC President ruled out the possibility of a candidacy believing that greater opportunities were available to Spain with the Winter Games.

As Alejandro Blanco put it:

I had several exchanges with the Mayor of Madrid to raise this issue [d’une candidature] and Madrid, without a doubt, is a city that should try to host the Olympic Games, but it will not opt ​​for the 2036 Games.

When we spoke with the IOC about the possibilities that existed, they told us that the possibilities were for winter.

The Games of Paris 2024, those of Los Angeles 2028, and those of Brisbane 2032 have been awarded, and the recommendations they have made for those of 2036 is that Madrid does not appear.

By dismissing the Madrid city, the leader of the COE had certainly not set Barcelona aside.

Nevertheless, in the light of international competition already strongconsidering local issues, and taking into account Spain’s past failures on the Olympic scene, the study of a Catalan candidacy will certainly have to be done over the long term, going beyond the single stage of the electoral deadline of the end of the month.

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