An Olympic Games in Tokyo will help bolster the Olympic movement, 2020 bid President Tsunekazu Takeda claimed at a press conference with foreign media in Tokyo Friday.
“In the last two years, Japan has rediscovered the significant role sport and athletes can play in our lives,” Takeda explained.
“Now, we want to raise the profile of athletes and secure the place of sport and Olympism, and thus promote the Olympic Movement.
“This is why we believe the Olympic and Paralympic Games should come to Tokyo; we want to give something special back to the Olympic Movement that has given us so much through sport.”
On May 30, Tokyo will be making a crucial presentation to the largest gathering of the Olympic family of the year at the SportAccord Convention in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Both for 2016, and now the 2020 bid Tokyo has struggled with conveying their vision, and a unique story of why they want to host the Olympic Games.
The bid committee used Friday’s meeting at the Foreign Correspondents of Japan Club to clarify the vision ahead of the convention.
Under strict bidding ethics rules, voting International Olympic Committee (IOC) members are not permitted to inspect the candidate cities personally, but must rely on documents, presentations, and the dialogue throughout the campaign in order to make their important decision. Most cities that end up on the ballot are technically capable, so it is essential that bid promoters make some kind of emotional appeal, or describe compelling reasons that their bid ‘deserves’ the Games more than the rivals.
Istanbul’s team continuously tells the story of a recently emerged nation that would host the Games in a new region with a Muslim culture for the the first time. The bid claims that by bridging religion, culture, and literally two continents – the Games could help bring democracy and peace to the region and the world.
Madrid tells a very different story of a developed nation with an established sport infrastructure that is currently suffering from an economic crisis. The bid claims that it can use sport to revitalize economic activity, rise out of the recession and provide a model to the world.
Tokyo, the city that hosted the Olympics in 1964, has already demonstrated that it has the means, capacity and experience to successfully organize the Games. But what has never been expressed in a compelling way is why the largest city in the world wants the Games, and why IOC members should cast a ballot in their favor.
“Let me emphasize a crucial fact – that it’s impossible to separate the ‘why’, the vision, from ‘how’ to deliver,” Takeda said.
“The best Games like London 2012 have both. Tokyo 2020 is proud to have both too, and we aim to be among the best Games.”
He explains the ‘how’ by identifying three core strengths – a certain ability to deliver during “uncertain times”; a first-ever “downtown Games” that will generate “an incredible city centre party”; and innovation that will help the “world’s most forward-thinking city” benefit sport worldwide.
Is there a story here?
The IOC members will get their chance to determine whether this is compelling enough. They’ll vote for the winner September 7 in Buenos Aires.
