Security top priority for IOC in 2016 bids

MADRID (AP) -Security against terror threats is a top priority for the International Olympic Committee as it weighs bids for the 2016 Olympics from Madrid and three other cities, the head of the evaluation panel said Friday.

Nawal el Moutawakel, chair of the IOC commission, said the ability of a city "to organize a safe and secure games'' would weigh heavily in the committee's technical assessment. Chicago, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro are also vying to host the 2016 Olympics.

"We have been most impressed to find what the city of Madrid could offer the Olympics,'' El Moutawakel said, nearly the same words she used after visiting the other bid cities.

"From what we have seen, Madrid is ready to present the games just like the other three cities,'' she said at the close of the five-day visit.

El Moutawakel and the other IOC members had lunch with Spain's Royal family, who will lead the delegation in Copenhagen on Oct. 2 for the final vote on the host city.

El Moutawakel said the panel had enjoyed meeting tennis star Rafa Nadal, Real Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez and former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Earlier, Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said separatist militants would not pose a threat to the 2016 Olympics if Madrid wins.

Rubalcaba told the 13-member IOC evaluation team that security forces had considerable experience in protecting international sporting events in Spain.

"We won't need to worry about (Basque separatist group) ETA in 2016,'' Rubalcaba said.

Madrid has already completed 77 percent of its Olympic venues, which it believes will allow it to weather the economic crisis. Spain is one of the worse-hit European countries, with unemployment figures expected to hit 20 percent next year.

The IOC evaluation panel will compile a report assessing the four bids by Sept. 2.

Meanwhile, Spanish Sport Minister Jaime Lissavetzky said he doesn't believe that a pending doping law that goes against World Anti-Doping Agency rules would hurt Madrid's bid chances.

The law would prohibit drug-testing of athletes between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. WADA rules state that athletes must be available for drug testing 24 hours a day.

Lissavetzky will attend WADA meetings in Montreal this weekend, where he is expected to discuss the issue with WADA director general David Howman.