'Barcelona unlikely to bid for 2022 Winter Olympics'

Barcelona Mayor Xavier Tiras has virtually ruled out the city as a candidate to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

The candidacy would have been a joint venture between Barcelona and various towns in the Pyrenees mountains, which would have been the sites for events such as skiing, bobsleigh and similar sports, reports Xinhua.

However, Trais believes that the lack of agreement between the various political organisations and especially the lack of support from the Popular Party and the Socialist (PSOE) Party, will mean the city will not present itself as a possible host city.

That does not mean Barcelona will not present a candidacy at a later date, but as Trias explained the failure of the Spanish capital, Madrid, in its bid to host the 2020 summer Olympics is a factor against Barcelona succeeding in an attempt to host the winter Games two years later and he said "everyone" had advised that 2026 would be a better date.

Madrid failed dismally in its bid and was the first city to be eliminated in the voting to decide the host of the 2020 Olympics, losing out to Istanbul and Tokyo, which was chosen as the venue for the 2020 Games.

"I would have preferred 2022, but if that is not possible, then 2026. 2026 is the clearest route for Barcelona," he reiterated.

Barcelona hosted a successful summer Olympics in 1992 which helped to change the face of the city forever and Trais believes that success of that event, even though it was 21 years ago, is still remembered in the International Olympic Committee and would be a factor in any bid for the summer Games.