Jump to content

Japan 2020


Recommended Posts

Yeah, it's a bit worrying in a tight race. But Tokyo can take heart from London - they got a warning from the ethics committee during the 2012 race over comments about the Stade de France, I seem to recall, and still won in that incredibly close vote.

Oh well. It's time we had a scandal of some sort to liven up this race.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 373
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Aside from Tokyo 2020, and that London 2012 example, are there any other instances of big faux pas by bids, which have lead to an IOC warning?

I wasn't interested in Olympic bidding during the 2008 race - how did the IOC respond to the mayor from Toronto and his racist comments regarding Africa?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It wasn't an official warning, and it got stopped before it could go ahead, but from the 2000 race Sydney did have a secret plan to dish the dirt on Beijing's human rights. They had a few people working on it in private, were going to produce a book with lots of accusations against China, and had appointed a PR firm to push the No Beijing/human rights message. But when John Coates of the AOC got wind of it, he put a stop to it quick smart. And luckily as well. If that had blown up, I don't think we would have sen 2000 celebrated Down Under.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which is strange, because 2000 certainly didn't belong in China - 2008 was right and 2000 was too soon after 1989. Without Sydney and Beijing - it is Berlin that seems like the most appropriate place for the 2000 Olympics.

Berlin shot themselves in the foot with their anti-games activists. It was Manchester who came third in that vote. Now THAT would have been an interesting alternate timeline!

And while I agree, especially as a Sydneysider, that 2000 wasn't time for China, just one vote needed to shift and it WOULD have been the case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aside from Tokyo 2020, and that London 2012 example, are there any other instances of big faux pas by bids, which have lead to an IOC warning?

I wasn't interested in Olympic bidding during the 2008 race - how did the IOC respond to the mayor from Toronto and his racist comments regarding Africa?

http://www.oocities.org/capitolhill/6174/lastmanonafrica3.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/canada/1312502/Toronto-mayor-says-sorry-for-cannibals-slur.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/jun/25/worlddispatch.annemcilroy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Berlin shot themselves in the foot with their anti-games activists. It was Manchester who came third in that vote. Now THAT would have been an interesting alternate timeline!

And while I agree, especially as a Sydneysider, that 2000 wasn't time for China, just one vote needed to shift and it WOULD have been the case.

I've said it before, and as much as I find "alternative" Olympic history a pointless thing to play with, I feel that PARIS is the only city that might have caused a Sydney upset for 2000. A Paris 2000 Olympics are not too difficult to imagine following Atlanta - although it would have likely ruled out Athens and Rome - so I think Sydney might have still had a good chance at nailing 2004 - if it had gone aggressively for it and not let Melbourne go up with a brash Kennett era bid.

The Kenyan IOC member nailed it - it was the words of a foolish individual, and not a reflection of Toronto's abilities itself (and the fact its a great multicultural city). He didn't even appear to apologise properly. Its a shame morons like this can so easily derail the good work of others.

That said, Toronto didn't stand a chance against the weight of Beijing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, it's a bit worrying in a tight race. But Tokyo can take heart from London - they got a warning from the ethics committee during the 2012 race over comments about the Stade de France, I seem to recall, and still won in that incredibly close vote.

Oh well. It's time we had a scandal of some sort to liven up this race.

If I remember correctly, the comments over the Stade de France were made by an architect only indirectly involved with London's bid and whilst the French team weren't happy it was all a bit of a storm in a teacup.

No, what London ended up in hot water over was their plan to subsidise training camps and travel for smaller NOCs. This wasn't in London's bid book (if it was it would've been ok apparently), and therefore by offering it London was breaking the IOC's rules. The London bid was forced to withdraw this offer by the IOC panel. But - and this is what I meant earlier when I said if you bend the rules make sure you come out looking good - this showed London was thinking hard of ways to make their bid stand out. London wasn't rapped on the knuckles for making inappropriate comments about a rival nation, it was rapped on the knuckles for offering poor athletes help to get to the Games.

So whilst London does show you can be the bad boy and still win, it's not quite the same. Not that I think this substantially harms Tokyo, it just makes them look foolish. We've still got months to go; they certainly haven't "done a Chirac".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having done a bit of Googlng, I slightly misremembered. London was investigated by the ethics panel for making this offer, but pre-empted its decision by withdrawing the offer only days after it was made. It didn't go as far as a formal reprimand from the IOC, but would certainly have done had Coe and Co not made an embarrassing u-turn.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/2358632/Londons-Olympic-bid-suffers-blow.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Much as I don't like Tokyo to win, I don't think the remarks are so egregious as to cause Tokyo's bid to collapse. Unless the IOC members are now so squeamish as to 'be offended' at every misspoken quote, Tokyo still leads Istanbul on technical points. And Istanbul is bluffing on a lot of its impressive renderings. But I think that ceremonies stadium and the rowing basin will NOT happen there. I am sure the Rowing federation will want a less windy place than the Bosphorus to stage their regattas. The Bosphorus is great for sailing....but NOT for rowing...even WITH a so-called breakwater wall. That does NOT break the winds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, he's furiously back-peddling now:

Istanbul is "one of my favourite cities" claims Tokyo Governor as he tries to end Olympic bid row

April 29 - Tokyo Governor Naoki Inose has claimed that Istanbul is one of his favourite cities as he tries to dampen down a row that is threatening to overshadow the Japanese capital's bid to host the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

But Turkey's Sports Minister Suat Kılıç fanned the flames, accusing Inose of violating the Olympic spirit.

"It's very disappointing," Kilic said on Twitter.

"It goes against the spirit of the Olympic Movement. We have never been critical of the other cities and we are not about to start."

The row blew up when Inose was quoted in an interview he had given to the New York Times at the weekend in which he appeared to claim Istanbul, which is widely perceived as Tokyo's biggest rival to host the 2020 Games, is less developed and less equipped to host the event.

The newspaper's story "accused me of criticising a rival city but what I intended to convey was not accurately reflected in the article," Inose said in a statement.

"I have been to Turkey and Istanbul is one of my favourite cities," he added.

"I don't have the slightest idea of making critical comments on other bidding cities.

"It is extremely regrettable that [The New York Times] story deviates from the context of the interview."

okyo 2020 admitted that Inose's comments could be taken in the wrong way.

"While the focus of the story took us by surprise, Tokyo 2020 regrettably acknowledge that the article may have been perceived to question Tokyo 2020's commitment to following our strong bidding principles," a spokesman told insidethegames.

Tokyo 2020 have been warned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over Inose's interview.

"It is not entirely clear from the translation what exactly the Governor was trying to say, but we would remind all candidates of the rules pertaining to the bid process," the IOC said in a statement.

Insidethegames



That does NOT break the winds.

Inose sure knows how to break wind, though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, he's furiously back-peddling now:

Inose sure knows how to break wind, though!

Istanbul should maintain keeping its mouth shut - even the slight "its disappointing" is a step too far from Turkey's Sports Minister. Yes, Inose's comments are bizarre at best, and bigoted ignorance at worst, but Turkey can only make positive out of this if it SHUTS UP and ignores the entire situation. There is nothing worse than PR martyrdom.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dissapointed in the comments made by the Governor. As Mitt Romney can attest, it takes one sentence to undo all the hard work.

However, are we seeing the not so unsubstantial shyness to other cultures that Japan is known for?

Tokyo is still a very good candidate and by far the safe hands, but Istanbul has the "new" tag in its favour so what could possibly be seen as an accidental soundbite will dent Tokyo that already has a previous host tag to climb over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Turkey's criminalised a concert pianist for mocking Allah, Tokyo is suffering from foot in mouth disease, and today a Spanish judge has ordered the destruction of blood-bags that contain evidence of Spanish doping offences. Race to the bottom?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Overly...Considering what would have been great potential five years ago...The lackluster run for 2020 has been very dissapointing somewhat. Not the greatest candidates out there this time round. I'm no supporter of Japan but unfortunatly Tokyo is the safe pair of hands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think with the exception of Madrid, Tokyo and Istanbul are both the type of larger than life, substantial options that made the 2012 race exciting, its more the absence of any other candidates that has made it dull. That isn't the current candidates fault though, even Madrid. I think this sense of something missing is the absence of a North American candidate - which is frankly refreshing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Turkey's criminalised a concert pianist for mocking Allah, Tokyo is suffering from foot in mouth disease, and today a Spanish judge has ordered the destruction of blood-bags that contain evidence of Spanish doping offences. Race to the bottom?

The least endemic really are the Japanese Sports Minister's words. An individual's words can be easily dismissed. The other two wrinkles are SYSTEMIC in nature and could affect the administrative and fact-finding processes relative to an Olympic Games.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While Article 301 is its own can of worms, I wouldn't be so quick to write off the governors words as minor, either. While he is a nutter, he is reflective of a large nationalist undercurrent in Japan, where the general consensus is that the pure white tiger has been left toothless for too long... While I think that those days are behind Japan, people like Inose are not good for the stability of the region.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everybody who decide contending at any Olympic bidding race perfectly know this is more a political and diplomatic game. What Seoul and Barcelona did was that, everything based on well-spoken speeches to persuade all the voters they also can do it.

Any city might be leading technically, but again, the IOC voters really care about the game and how they could get impressed whether by a new frontier city, bribe or uprising developing country capable to host the biggest human extravaganza (in all senses).



We all know Tokyo can host easily the Olympics, but as we are in this forum, I'm sure the IOC isn't that excited either. Tokyo has nothing to worry about, but I guess there are many muslim voters in this ballot, aren't there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...