International
Wednesday, September 25, 2013 • page 16
Tokyo set to host 2020 Olympics, Spanish sentiment remains mixed
Natalie Beach
International Correspondent
MADRID — The selection between Is
tanbul, Madrid and Tokyo to host the 2020
Olympics was fraught with controversy this
year, as each city currently faces economic,
political or environmental troubles.
The dispute continued with the recent
announcement that Japan, still recovering
from nuclear disaster, won the International
Olympic Committee’s vote Sept. 7. In Spain,
where an economic crisis has the unemploy
ment rate above 25 percent, citizens have
mixed feelings about Madrid losing the in
ternational sporting event.
Oscar Cehallos is a professor from the
CIEE study abroad center in Seville, Spain.
He said Spain needs to focus on the restora
tion of its economy, not hosting the Olym
pics.
“I think it is better that we don’t have
them because we need to concentrate on
more important problems,” Ceballos said.
“Tlie Olympics would be a distraction and
they would allow the country to ignore the
reality of the state of the economy. It is a bad
idea to work for something temporary.”
While preparation for the Olympics
would create jobs, Spain would pay for it
with a hefty price tag. In the midst of a dra
matic economic crisis, many Spaniards are
skeptical.
Sarah Bellido is a Spanish student at la
Universidad de Sevilla, and while she recog
nizes the immediate benefit of hosting the
games, she also recognizes the long-term ef
fects.
“I believe that it only helps in the mo
ment. Investing in the games is great before
the games to create jobs, but once they end
things will be the same,” Bellido said.
Others residents believe Madrid could
have been a great host city, as it already con
tains many of the necessary infrastructure
and stadiums. Madrid also branded itself as
the best city for a giant international party
during the selection process.
Fran Pascual, a student at la Universidad
de Sevilla, has mixed emotions regarding
Madrid’s loss as host city for the games.
“I feel happy and sad,” Pascual said. “I’m
sad because I would enjoy if the games were
celebrated in Spain, but I am OK with it be
PHOTO COURTESY OF MOT CAMPUS
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building was iit in Olympic coiors Sept. 20 in honor of the city being named host of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
cause of the crisis. The Olympics cost a lot of
money, which is bad for Spain overall.”
While the games could be positive for
Madrid, others recognize that with a popu
lation of more than 47 million, Spain is too
large for the Olympics to solve all of its
problems.
“The benefits would only be in Madrid,”
Pascual said. “I would like Seville to host the
Olympics so that the benefits would be here.”
Professor Jorge Rodriguez from the
CIEE study abroad center in Seville said he
wants Spain to focus on its economy, not the
Olympic Games.
“The positive aspects for Spain would not
be in the South,” Rodriguez said. “I wouldn’t
notice a difference. The country should focus
on more serious matters, like the crisis.”
Regarding the possibility of Madrid host
ing the 2024 Olympic Games, Bellido said it
all depends on Spain’s economy at the time,
but definitely not if the status quo remains.
This is Madrid’s third bid and rejection to
host the Olympic Games. The city’s mayor
told King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister
Mariano Rajoy not to try again for 2024.
Though some citizens feel cynical about
the timing of the 2020 Olympics, they still
see the positives for Spain to host the games.
Rodriguez is content with the ruling, un
derstanding the other side’s argument.
“In general I think the Olympics are posi
tive because they make our country more
visible to international eyes and increase the
number of tourists,” he said.
Tourism is one of Spain’s largest indus
tries, and an increase in international visitors
could aid the struggling economy.
Ceballos worries focusing solely on tour
ism could actually hurt the economy in the
long run.
“The Olympics are great for tourism and
branding, but that’s exactly it, they would
only help the tourism industry,” Ceballos
said.
Despite lukewarm enthusiasm for the
Olympics in Seville, not all of Spain has
given up hope. The day after Madrid lost the
2020 host spot, the government of Barcelona
announced its plans to bid for the Winter
Olympics in 2022.
Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics
in 1992 and has most of the necessary in
frastructure built. Plus, the Winter Olym
pics are historically less expensive than their
summer counterpart.
When asked if Barcelona should bid for
the games in 2022, Rodriguez’s response was
simple.
“Good luck,” he said.