The city's Mayor Xavier Trias has admitted that the timing of his announcement, made to a group of Spanish and French business leaders, may be "indecent" but is confident that the capital of Catalonia can be the first city in the history of the Olympics to host both the Summer and Winter Games.

It had hosted the Summer Olympics in 1992, a Games still considered among the most successful in history.

"We will do it, we will do it," he said Trias, who had initially been opposed to the idea which was first mooted more than three years ago by his predecessor, Jordi Hereu.

If successful, the snow events would be hosted in the Pyrenees, which are located about two hours away by train from Barcelona.


Barcelona's bid is supported by Jean-Paul Alduy, President of Perpignan Mediterranee, a network that brings together 36 Mayors from Perpignan communities in southern France.

Trias has admitted that he would need the help of the French if the Games are to be held successfully.

Whether Barcelona bids or not depends entirely on whether or not Madrid is awarded the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

Madrid 2020 denied that Trias' announcement undermined their campaign, which is currently in a close race with Istanbul and Tokyo, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) due to choose the host city at its Session in Buenos Aires on September 7.

"Barcelona is one of the co-host cities of the Madrid 2020 Bid [it will stage football matches]," a spokeswoman for Madrid 2020 told insidethegames.

"Both the Regional and City Governments have given all guarantees requested by the IOC in order to host some of the preliminary football matches.

"Speaking last January 31 - during the first "Road to 2020" forum - the Mayor of Barcelona Xavier Trias declared his 'unconditional' support for the Madrid Bid and said that the staging of the Games would be a 'tremendous driving force for growth' for the Spanish capital and for the whole country'."

Cities interested in bidding for 2022 have to let the IOC know by November 14 with a decision due to be announced at the IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur on July 31, 2015.

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