Its economy is still suffering, but Spain is showing a beautiful smile. The visit of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2020 Games ended this Thursday, March 21, in the middle of the afternoon. She didn't experience any problems. Better: the words of its experts, Craig Reedie in the lead, have boosted the morale of those behind the Madrid candidacy.

Can four days of visits, and a few long hours of closed-door meetings, reverse a trend? The Madrid 2020 bid believes so. She even clings, to convince herself, to the remarks made at a press conference, Thursday March 21, by the authorized voices of the IOC evaluation commission. Craig Reedie, its president, assured that he was “very impressed” by his Spanish stay. Listening to him, Madrid's record would be better than expected. And, for sure, still in the race to win the prize.

“The candidate cities are offering ever better applications,” explained Craig Reedie, referring to the Madrid project, already applying for the 2012 and 2016 Games. The Spanish capital would, according to the British leader, have had the intelligence to relying on the concept imagined for 2016, but managing to improve it. Then Craig Reedie added, lighting sparks in the eyes of Madrilenians: “Who knows, maybe the third time will be the charm…”

Same story, just as encouraging, from Gilbert Felli, the executive director of the IOC. Also invited to speak at the final press conference of the evaluation commission, the Swiss explained that Madrid “had been able to learn from the past”. Then he insisted: “We have seen it with what has been presented to us over the last four days. Madrid's bid has improved a lot since its last attempt. » Very lively, Gilbert Felli went so far as to assure that the figures presented by Madrid were “viable” and that “the crisis should not unduly affect the candidacy. »

The day before, the president of the bid committee, Alejandro Blanco, took the lead by suggesting that Madrid had a good chance of retaining the best technical score awarded by the evaluation commission. A position obtained in the first IOC reports last May. We will have to wait a few weeks before knowing if he is telling the truth. And, before that, closely monitor the third and final visit of the small IOC troop to the candidate cities, starting next week in Istanbul. One thing is certain: Madrid did quite well in its entrance exam. But, by all accounts, Tokyo had done the same two weeks earlier.