The umpteenth meeting to unlock the candidacy for the 2030 Winter Olympics it only served to confirm that the agreement was far away. The frustration of Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) it seems to have reached the point of giving up further meetings for a joint bid. Before the castling of Aragon and seeing that time was running out, Alexander Whitepresident of the COE, closed the time for dialogue and will present his own proposal to the IOC, leaving it open to whoever wants to join it.
At said meeting, held electronically this Monday, the latest format was to be discussed, which moved two tests to Aragón, the ‘freestyle’ to Cerler and cross-country skiing to Formigal, but removed figure skating from Zaragoza, which meant 55 tests in Aragon and 41 in Catalonia. participated Victor FranksSecretary General for Culture and Sport of the Government of Spain; Laura Vilagra, ‘consellera’ of Presidency; Philip Facicounselor of Aragon, and Alejandro Blanco.
The Aragonese counselor pointed out that skating was non-negotiable and that they wanted alpine skiing in Aragon. After an hour and a half of meeting and in view of the fact that there was no progress, Blanco closed the meeting and indicated that the COE will make his proposal. In his statement, the COE indicated that Blanco expressed his decision to “continue his work in order to present a technically unbeatable project, sustainable in social, economic and environmental terms.” «That it contributes to the regeneration of the host territory, and that, at the same time, responds to the requirements and regulations of the International Olympic Committee».
Faci, in statements sent by the Government of Aragon, regretted that the COE had “unilaterally terminated” the meetings for a joint candidacy and had announced its intention to work on a technical candidacy regardless of its ideas.
“We ask for speed”
From the Generalitat it was highlighted that they have “respected all the agreements” and that after Aragón dropped out of the technical agreement, they had been “willing to modify that agreement”.
In this sense, the Catalan side reiterated its wish that “the COE explore all the options”, including that of the Catalonia Games alone. “We ask for speed, we want the Games.”
The International Olympic Committee looked favorably on Barcelona becoming Olympic again and the Pyrenees hosting the first Winter Games, but 10 months after Pere Aragonès sent the official letter to the COE to opt for the Games, there was still no agreement between Catalonia and Aragon.
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Thomas Bach, President of the IOC, will visit Barcelona on June 1, the date on which Blanco will confirm that there will be a Spanish candidacy and will ask for a little more time to leave it closed. The president of the COE will give more details on the next steps on Wednesday at a press conference.
tourist rivalry
The President of Aragon Javier Lamban, he acted surprised and in a statement he maintained the belligerent tone that has characterized him to date. He spoke of tourist rivalry with Catalonia. “A candidacy for a country that devalues and mortgages the future of Aragonese ski resorts for the benefit of our main commercial, tourist and economic competitor, the Catalan Pyrenees, will not be successful. And we will take this to its ultimate consequences, with all that this means », he concluded.