Madrid are considered to be the outsiders in the race behind Chicago and Rio de Janeiro.

Tokyo are also bidding in the contest which will be decided at the IOC Session here on Friday but Samaranch has warned that the Spanish capital should not be underestimated.

He said: "If we put it in terms of percentages, we have significantly more than 25 per cent, but we do not make it to 50 [per cent.
 

"The floor of votes we have, the people we believe in, is enough to fight a good battle."
 

With 97-99 members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) registered to vote in the first round, Samaranch's prediction would mean over 25 votes but less than 50, a solid amount of support to get past the dangerous initial stage.
 

As reported last week on insidethegames, Joao Havelange, the former President of FIFA and the longest serving member of the IOC, claimed that Rio had been promised 20 votes.
 

Samaranch said: "With all due respect for our senior member, I hope he has them.

"I would not like to talk about figures.
 

"If I had to bet money, I would put it on Madrid."
 

As the son of Juan Antonio Samaranch - who was President of the IOC between 1980 and 2001 - he has excellent insider knowledge of the Olympic Movement.

However, Samaranch junior insists that he is not in a position to guess what will happen at the Session on Friday.

He said: "If any of my colleagues tell you that they know, either they are reckless or they are lying.

"Nobody knows, nobody."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected].


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