Madrid

noqueremosmadrid2020, www.noqueremosmadrid2020.blogspot.co.uk, is a blog dedicated to campaigning against Madrid hosting the 2020 Olympics. The authors believe that Madrid hosting the 2020 games would lead to financial disaster.

Can you outline your reasons for not wanting The Olympic Games?

There are many reasons to be against having the Olympics in Madrid but the main reason is financial. It would be a mistake to spend huge amounts of public money to host the Olympics with the dire economic situation facing the country and the brutal debt of the city of Madrid. The Athens Olympics showed how winning the games can be extremely detrimental to the good of the country. While we are told that there is no money and we are seeing cutbacks on things as basic as health and education, it seems that there is free reign to spend on the Olympics. It doesn’t seem very logical. If that weren’t enough, Madrid has made three attempts and still hasn’t asked its citizens in a referendum whether they want the Games or not, as other cities have done.

Are you in favour of the Olympics in general – just not in Madrid? Or do you think the Olympic movement is flawed?

We have nothing against the Olympics, but we do believe that it’s incredibly politicised, and sports really matters little in it. Madrid, for example, is bidding to host the Olympics for the third time while grassroots sport and sports facilities for the citizens – such as bike paths – are an absolute disaster.

How much money does Madrid stand to lose if it wins the games?

You’d need to ask an economic expert [the London Olympics were estimated to have cost $14.8 billion]. We could not give a specific figure but we are convinced they will be a financial fiasco, the last thing the country needs.

What will be the public reaction if Madrid wins?

We believe that a win will divide the people. There will always be people who are happy to have the Games, and people who will reject it. From the people we’ve spoken to on the street, on social networks and online it seems the city will split 50/50.

Which past Olympics do you think were the most damaging?

No doubt the Athens 2004. The Barcelona Olympics was, in our opinion, good for the city and for the country, but they were in a different place and in a different time. They have nothing to do with the current [situation] in any sense.

Who should host the 2020 Olympics?

Anyone but Madrid.

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