ALMERIA, Spain -- The Mediterranean Games open Friday in
what Spain hopes will be a showcase event bolstering Madrid's bid
for the 2012 Olympics.
The Med Games will feature more than 4,000 athletes from 21
countries bordering the Mediterranean. Europe has 14 countries
taking part, Africa five and Asia two.
Spain's King Juan Carlos is to join IOC president Jacques Rogge
and former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch for the opening
ceremony Friday at Mediterranean Games Stadium. Madrid Mayor
Alberto Ruiz Gallardon and French Sports Minister Jean-Francois
Lamour also are in Almeria, each promoting bids for the 2012 Games.
"The Spanish Olympic Committee counts on the success of this
competition as an important guarantee to present to the IOC members
who will decide the host city for the 2012 Olympic Games," Madrid
bid organizers said.
IOC members are to vote on July 6 in Singapore. Besides Madrid
and Paris, London, Moscow and New York are also candidates.
France was the gold-medal leader (40) in the last Med Games in
Tunisia in 2001, followed by Italy (38) and Turkey (33).
The Med Games, contested mostly by young athletes, are held
every four years and last 13 days. They were first staged in 1951,
and Barcelona last hosted the games for Spain in 1955.