Turkey says it’s celebrating a historic moment in its history after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) named Istanbul an official Candidate City for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
It’s Istanbul’s fifth bid, and the second time the city has been shortlisted.
In thanking the Working Group, the IOC Executive Board, Gilbert Felli, and IOC President Jacques Rogge, Hasan Arat, a leading member of the bid team said, “we are grateful and honoured, and we will not let them down. the recommendation from the Working Group proves that this is a new bid for a new Turkey. Istanbul has learned the lessons of past bids; we have gathered a young, dynamic and very strong team around us, and we have created a fresh and compelling concept. This time, Istanbul is ready to deliver”.
Professor Ugur Erdener, IOC member, President of World Archery and President of the Turkish NOC added, “it is an honour to be named an official Candidate City. This is a major step towards realizing Turkey’s Olympic dream. But now the hard work really begins, to repay the belief the Olympic family has shown us. We have proven our potential to host a technically excellent Games – and now we can begin to share our vision for what the Games could mean for Istanbul, Turkey, and the entire Olympic Movement”.
The Tokyo 2020 bid committee said it was honoured with the decision of the IOC to appoint Tokyo as a 2020 Candidate City. Tokyo 2020 said the bid has learned valuable lessons from its previous bid, and looks forward to the extraordinary journey ahead of securing the greatest honour of playing host to the 2020 Games.
Tsunekazu Takeda, President of Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) said, “we are delighted that Tokyo has been accepted as a Candidate City, and I would like to personally thank the IOC for this decision. I also would like to give my warmest thanks to all of those involved in the bid for your efforts in creating a spectacular Games plan.
“We have a strong desire to generate dreams, hopes, goals and positive change across the world through the power of sports. Tokyo 2020 will be Games of excellence and excitement staged in the world’s most forward-thinking city, and will feature world-class infrastructure and technology, powered by the energy of our young people. We have kept the best and improved the rest from our previous bid, and are determined more than ever to produce the best Games Plan ahead of the Election of the Host City in September next year”.
Japanese Prime Minister and Tokyo 2020 Supreme Advisor, Yoshihiko Noda called it “a true honour for Tokyo to be accepted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board as a Candidate City for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games has enormous significance in terms of promoting international goodwill and the advancement of sports. It also will serve as a symbol of Japan’s recovery from last year’s tragedy. With the Japanese government’s full support for Tokyo’s bid, our nation greatly desires to achieve the goal of hosting the Games”.