Liga: Atletico Madrid maintain stadium project despite 2020 Olympic Games in Madrid being refused

Atletico Madrid (Liga) have confirmed their willing to build a 70,000-seat stadium on Peineta site on the 08/09/2013, despite the appointment of Tokyo to host the Olympic Games in 2020, on the 07/09/2013. After 2012 and 2016, it is the third consecutive time that Madrid has failed to get the organisation of an Olympiad.

"The IOC's (International Olympic Committee) decision does not affect anything. Construction is planned to end on the same day, un June 2016," said the club CEO, Miguel Angel Gil. In December 2011, Atletico had unveiled plans to build a new stadium to replace current Vicente Calderon (55,000 seats) stadium, opened in 1966.

"It is a decision that directly affects us, due to the fact that the heart of the Olympic Games was to be held in our stadium," said Miguel Angel Gil. Not having to build an athletics track allows the Club to have an operational stadium in the beginning of the 2016/17 season. The track was supposed to be destroyed after the Olympics to bring the stadium's capacity from 60,000 to 70,000 seats.

• The project cost is estimated at €200m.
  • The stadium…