Olympics: Madrid put foward for 2012 Games

Madrid was named yesterday as Spain's candidate city to host the 2012 Olympics ahead of Seville.

The Spanish Olympic Committee voted 157 to 103 in favour of the capital.

Seville made unsuccessful bids for the 2004 and 2008 Games.

"It was tough, but well worth it," said the leader of the Madrid bid, Ignacio del Rio. "The decision now opens the way to our dream of making Madrid an Olympic city.

Madrid's only previous Olympic bid was for the 1972 Games, which were awarded to Munich.

New York, Moscow, Paris, London and a German and Brazilian city are likely rivals for the race, which ends when the International Olympic Committee makes its final decision in July 2005.