BarcelonaThe president of the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE), Alejandro Blanco, insisted today after a meeting with the Aragonese government in Zaragoza that the Pyrenees "will have" their Winter Olympic Games but "unity, dialogue and respect for all that form the candidacy", because "no territory predominates over another". The Olympic bid, led by the Generalitat government to bring the Winter Games to the Pyrenees for the first time in history in 2030, enters a key phase without finding agreements between the governments of Catalonia and Aragon on what the name should be project officer.
Blanco met this Tuesday in the Aragonese capital with the president of Aragon, Javier Lambán, to address the organization of the candidacy, and recalled that in the last three years they have worked on "a country candidacy" in which " not only are Catalonia and Aragon, but also the government of Spain". The meeting comes shortly after the declarations of the Minister of the Presidency of the Generalitat, Laura Vilagrà, who defended that Aragón should have a collaborating role in some sports disciplines. The first projects of the candidacy were led by the general secretary of Sport of the Generalitat, but after negotiating with the Spanish Olympic Committee it was agreed to include tests in Aragon. The technical committee for the bid has almost finished the proposal for the venues for each sport, but the governments cannot agree on how to name the project: "Until now we have been talking about the Winter Games in the Pyrenees and nothing else." We have to find the name in which we all feel comfortable", said Blanco.
The candidacy would include Barcelona as the main venue for sports in pavilions, despite the fact that Zaragoza would also have events of this type. In addition, tests would be carried out in Cerdanya, Vall d'Aran and the Aragonese Pyrenees. The central government, the COE, the government of Aragon and the Generalitat are represented on the technical commission, whose work is expected to be completed at the end of March or beginning of April. One of the points that this commission will have to decide will be where to do the trampoline jumping, bobsleigh and skeleton tests, disciplines that require a very large infrastructure that does not exist in the Pyrenees right now. The IOC's new policy for choosing Olympic venues asks not to do big works that don't make sense once the Games are over, which is why taking these tests to Sarajevo or the Alps, where there are already infrastructures, is being studied. Blanco will meet this Wednesday with the Catalan government, but he has already recalled that "there is no predominance of one territory over another and we have to present the best technical candidacy, based on respect and dialogue, because if each one goes one way, We'll have nothing to do."
The Catalan government announced last week some details of the referendum in the Pyrenees on the Olympic proposal. The vote will be this spring and the citizens of the Alt Pirineu and Aran counties will be called to participate: Pallars Jussà, Pallars Sobirà, Alta Ribagorça, Alt Urgell, Cerdanya and Vall d'Aran. In total there are 77 municipalities, with a global census of some 63,000 people – you can vote from the age of 16 – and the result will be binding. Municipalities of Berguedà, Solsonès and Ripollès complained that they were excluded from the consultation, understanding that a Games in the Pyrenees would affect them, despite the fact that none of these regions is expected to host the Games.
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The COE criticizes the referendum
Alejandro Blanco, in fact, has also criticized this "referendum" stating that "it is not planned by the International Olympic Committee", stating that the population can be consulted, but never with a binding consultation. “A yes or no consultation is unfeasible, a different concept is needed” .
The spokeswoman for the Catalan government, Patrícia Plaja, has argued that the consultation on the Barcelona-Pyrenees candidacy will be held only in Alt Pirineu and Aran because that is where there will be a "greatest positive impact". However, she has added that the executive "will take into account" the opinion of the pre-Pyrenean territories because they will be able to participate in the strategic commissions. Plaja recalled that "Catalonia is the one who has to promote the candidacy" after hearing the statements of the Aragonese president Javier Lambán, who will meet this Wednesday with Pere Aragonès.
The CUP asks for explanations
For its part, the CUP-NCG will request the appearance of the Minister of the Presidency, Laura Vilagrà, on the occasion of the consultation on the Winter Olympics. The anti-capitalist deputy Xavier Pellicer has complained about the management of the executive in recent days. Specifically, he has criticized that the consultation excludes regions affected by the event, such as Solsonès, Ripollès and Berguedà. That is why he wants Vilagrà to detail which territories will participate in the consultation. He also charges against a survey "absolutely manipulated to generate a state favorable to the Games" that has been made public in recent days. Finally, the CUP has agreed to participate in a "huge campaign of 'no' to the Winter Olympics", since they consider that the project is typical of an outdated model. The CUP considers that the Games are "a macro event that does not have to be celebrated", they criticize that they are being organized "with their backs to the territory" and reproach the Government for "collaboration" with the Spanish government for this project.