The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was in no mood for new adventures when it picked Tokyo as the host of the 2020 summer Olympics, opting for a “safe pair of hands” that could also boost its finances.
Tokyo beat Istanbul in a landslide vote after Madrid were eliminated in the first round, taking the world’s biggest multi-sports event back to Asia for the first time since the Beijing 2008 Games.
While Istanbul officials were left licking their wounds after their fifth failed bid in the last six votes, Tokyo were vindicated for a strategy which saw them highlight their solid finances and strong track record of delivering on promises.
The Japanese capital also dangled $4.5 billion in front of the IOC a year before the vote, saying the money for the Games was “in the bank.”
“You described yourself as a safe pair of hands and as a surgeon even if I did not vote, this appeals to me,” IOC president Jacques Rogge told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the contract signing ceremony after the vote.
The Japanese capital took the lead from the start, landing 42 votes compared to 26 for Madrid and Istanbul, before beating the Turkish metropolis 60-36 in their final round.
Tokyo will now host the Games for a second time since 1964 while Istanbul, hoping the IOC would again go to uncharted waters after giving the 2016 Olympics to Rio and to South America for the first time, leave empty handed.
“All three bids were strong bids,” IOC Executive Board member John Coates told Reuters.
“But Tokyo’s bid was very, very good for athletes, the concentration of venues there is very good.”
Coates also hinted the conflict in neighbouring Syria had been on the IOC members’ minds.
“We also had the geopolitical uncertainties which Istanbul addressed really well,” said the Australian.
Wrestling wins back 2020 Olympics spot
Wrestling completed an unprecedented Olympic comeback yesterday, reclaiming its spot in the 2020 Olympics after beating bids from rivals squash and baseball/softball in an IOC vote.
Wrestling, which featured in every modern Games apart from 1900, had been taken off the Games in February as the IOC looked to refresh its sports programme.
“I want to offer my sincere gratitude to each member of the International Olympic Committee that voted to save Olympic wrestling today,” a delighted international wrestling federation (FILA) president Nenad Lalovic told reporters seconds after the vote.
He had taken over in February after their Olympic exit and has been credited with bringing the sport back into contention after wrestling made a shortlist of candidate sports in May.