Madrid's Olympic bid chief is worrying that another racist incident in Spanish sports could affect the city's chances of bidding for the 2016 Games.
"The bid is preoccupied about something that can affect us," Madrid 2016 bid chief Mercedes Coghen said Wednesday.
Coghen was reacting to UEFA's decision Tuesday to order Atletico Madrid to play its next two Champions League home games at a neutral venue because of violent and racist behavior by the club's fans during a match against Marseille earlier this month.
It's not the first time that racism has tinged Spanish football.
England is currently refusing to play an international friendly against European champion Spain in Madrid in 2009 because its players were racially abused during a match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in 2004.
FC Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o was racially abused in a Spanish league match at Zaragoza two years ago.
Madrid is bidding against Tokyo, Chicago, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the right to host the 2016 Olympics. A decision will be made in Copenhagen, Denmark, in November 2009.
(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2008)