Tokyo 2020, Japan’s bid to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, was boosted today following a report by FutureBrand’s Country Brand Index 2012-2013 which Japan ranked third out of 118 countries, up one position from the previous year.

The Country Brand Index is a preeminent global study which measures and ranks global perceptions around the world’s nations based on factors such as their cultures, industries, economic strength, and public policy initiatives. The resulting index is a mix of trend reportage, expert findings, data-rich analysis and future-positive prediction compiled by FutureBrand. Japan earned high notes in business, culture, and tourism.

The report highlights many of Japan’s attractive characteristics and validates a common perception of the country: Japan is one of the world’s most exciting countries, boasting a mix of the hyper-modern and the traditional with values that inspire today’s world. The country claims the top spot in the Advanced Technology, Attractions and Authenticity subsections.

Japan also ranked second in the Skilled Workforce subsection, ranking third overall in the Good for Business section. Finally, Japan ranked third in the Art and Culture subsection, taking the third spot overall under the Heritage and Culture section.

The annual Country Brand Index stated: “Japan has managed to maintain its reputation as a world-class brand, especially for tourism, perceived as the second strongest brand in the dimension overall, the strongest brand in the world for Attractions, third strongest for Food and sixth for Value for Money.”

Tsunekazu Takeda, IOC member and President of the Tokyo 2020 Bid Committee and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) commented: “We are delighted with the results of FutureBrand’s latest Country Brand Index. This report reflects the world’s positive perception of Japan, based on our innovative culture and rich history. If Tokyo secures the honour of hosting the 2020 Games, I am confident that athletes, Olympic and Paralympic Families, and international visitors will all likewise appreciate all that Tokyo has to offer.”

US politicians have expressed their dismay about the U.S. Olympic Committee’s (USOC) decision to provide the U.S. team with Chinese-manufactured uniforms while its domestic textile industry is struggling; there are reportedly hundreds of thousands of unemployed textile workers in the US.

Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid said: “I am so upset. I think the Olympic committee should be ashamed of themselves. I think they should be embarrassed. I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again.”

House Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi said: “They should be wearing uniforms that are made in America.”

House Speaker John Boehner also expressed his disappointment. “You’d think they’d know better,” he said.

“Unlike most Olympic teams around the world, the US Olympic team is privately funded and we’re grateful for the support of our sponsors,” USOC spokesman, Patrick Sandusky said in a statement. “We’re proud of our partnership with Ralph Lauren, an iconic American company, and excited to watch America’s finest athletes compete at the upcoming Games in London.”

Sandusky tweeted that Ralph Lauren “financially supports our team. An American company that supports American athletes.”

The clothing company has not commented on the criticism.

In recent years, the USOC has also faced criticism sponsorship deals with German car manufacturer BMW, when its deal with General Motors ended, and retaining BP as a sponsor after the infamous oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico.{jcomments on}

 

World soccer’s governing body FIFA revealed yesterday, May 3, that a new set of tests for goal-line technology were underway, with the prospect of a system possibly being introduced in time for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

FIFA has invited manufacturers to take part in a two-stage technical testing process between September 2011 and March 2012, which will be verified by an independent technical institute. As of now, around 10 different goal-line technology systems have been tested though all have failed to convince the International Football Association Board (IFAB), and FIFA so far.

FIFA released a statement reading: “The final results of this evaluation will be presented to the IFAB at a special meeting in July 2012. The tests will be conducted in two phases at a football stadium selected by the respective technology providers, in consultation with FIFA.”

The first phase of tests between September and December 2011 will check the success of the required goalscoring indicator, which will be linked to a bracelet worn by the referee. Shortlisted systems, which are at least 90 per cent successful, will then progress to the second phase, where FIFA will be looking for 100 per cent accuracy in tests involving different types of shots on goal under simulated match conditions.

The IFAB, which is made up of FIFA and the Football Associations (FA) of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, decided in March to look at technological aids for referees again.

The recent tests have seemingly been forced into action after another high profile decision which eventually saw Premier League champions Chelsea defeat Tottenham due to an incorrect award of a goal. FIFA have been consistently criticised for a lack of action to ensure that the correct decision in terms of whether a ball has crossed the goal-line is made, with many feeling that the technology is readily available and used in a growing number of sports.

Sepp Blatter, the current incumbent of the presidency of world soccer’s governing body FIFA, has laid out his manifesto for re-election for a fourth term of office in opposition to Mohamed Bin Hammam, saying that the organisation needs ‘evolution not revolution’.

Asian confederation (AFC) chief Bin Hammam confirmed his candidacy for the role last month and the Qatari will face his Swiss counterpart in the election on 1st June.

Blatter stated: “In these challenging times FIFA needs first of all stability, continuity and reliability“, opposing Bin Hammam’s election pledge based upon major changes to FIFA’s structure.

The 61-year-old Qatari’s manifesto contains proposals for change, including the creation of 17 more executive committee positions on a new 41-strong FIFA board.

Blatter promised to apply ‘zero tolerance and fair play’ throughout the game and added that ‘the biggest enemies of football are corruption, match-fixing and doping’.

Blatter added that under his leadership there had been a 57-fold increase in investment in soccer development projects when comparing the period 2007-2010 with that of 1995-98, prior to his election.

He also made an appeal to the financial interests of the member associations and pointed out that FIFA has grown its cash reserves from zero to US$1.2bn.

Blatter added that there would be another additional financial dividend if the 2014 finals in Brazil prove to be a success and on top of this, he said FIFA would provide $1bn for soccer development over the next four years.

Blatter has pledged to ‘strengthen the universality of football’ and said that the controversial award of the World Cup to Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022 was ‘an important step in this direction’.

D.C. United and Inter Milan owner Erick Thohir has denied reports that he will put his share of the Major League Soccer club up for sale to cover the debts of Inter Milan he took over last fall.

Italian outlet Il Sole 24 Ore reported earlier this week that Thohir was prepared to sell his share of D.C. United to cover Inter’s debts of “200 million euros” and avoid touching his own private funds, discount built primarily through years as a media mogul in Indonesia.

Thohir and Washington, cialis D.C., prostate lawyer and sports agent Jason Levien joined the investment group behind D.C. United in July 2012, and Thohir became a controlling shareholder and club president at Inter last October.

“I would like to reaffirm the position of both D.C. United and FC Internazionale Milano as part of my football portfolio,” Thohir said via statement. “These assets are integral parts of my international sports investment strategy and I look forward to growing both brands well into the future. I deny, in no uncertain terms, recent media reports which indicated otherwise.

“My commitment and dedication to both DCU and Inter is unwavering, and I am focused on producing results both on and off the pitch at both clubs.”

D.C. United are in the process of negotiating a $300 million stadium deal with local officials to build in the Buzzard Point area of Southwest D.C., a move championed by Thohir and Levien shortly after they took over. The club hopes to begin play at the site in 2016.

Madrid 2020 has agreed a partnership with Madrid Hotel Industry Association that will ensure that should Madrid host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, visitors to the event will have the availability of more than 80,000 beds at the city’s hotels, and room rates will be capped.

Madrid Mayor Ana Botella said: “We are very excited by the commitment shown by the hotel owners who have signed up to this partnership. This demonstration of support by the businesses and people of Madrid is very encouraging and urges us on as we work towards fulfilling our dream.”

Madrid 2020 President Alejandro Blanco added: “The Games are not just a sporting event but an opportunity to promote Spain by celebrating its history, experiencing the present and looking forward to the future, particularly the positive impact that an Olympic Games will have on Madrid and the Spanish people. Support is growing daily and over 80 per cent of the country is already expressing their support for our bid.

“Winning the Games will be the catalyst for regenerating the country’s economy” added Blanco, who pointed to the fact that the occupancy rate for London’s hotels during the 2012 Games was 94 per cent and that the UK economy’s one per cent growth between July and September had been attributed, in the main, to hosting the Olympics.

Blanco spoke of the Games legacy saying: “I’m not going to claim that Madrid 2020 will be the best Games of all time, but I will say that they will be our Games. They will belong to each and every one of us and we will work diligently to ensure sustainability.”

G4S, allergy the Official Security Services Provider of London 2012,  have failed in their promises to provide the recommended amount of security personnel for the Games.

Instead up to 3,500 extra troops will be needed for security duties during the Olympics amid fears that private firm G4S will not be able to meet the needs, the defence secretary will say today.

Philip Hammond will say the military force at the Olympics will be boosted to some 17,000 troops with just two weeks to go.

It comes as security-providers G4S admitted it was experiencing “some issues in relation to workforce supply and scheduling” and had accepted that the government was turning to the military for extra help.

Some 17,000 troops will now be involved in the Olympics, with 11,000 of these involved in the security of more than 30 sporting venues and some 70 non-competition venues, including car parks and hotels.

Military personnel will also be involved in specialist support roles including air security, search teams, communications and logistics, among others.

Mr Hammond will give further details to MPs today.

A London 2012 spokesman said: “Security for the Games is big and complex but we have the best brains in the security business working on this – Home Office, Metropolitan Police, Ministry of Defence and world’s largest private security business.

“Delivering a safe and secure Games is everyone’s number one priority.

“We do not anticipate an increase in the overall venue security numbers.”

Andy Hunt, chief executive of the British Olympic Association (BOA), has refuted claims that his position, as well as that of chairman Colin Moynihan, has been weakened by the deal that brought an end to a bitter dispute with the London 2012 Olympic Games organising committee (LOCOG).

The BOA was forced to give way in its cash row with LOCOG, a case which they had initially stated that they would take to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and abandoned its legal action against Games organisers.

The deal agreed will see LOCOG waive rights to royalties on two items of Team GB merchandise and will also allow the BOA to buy extra Olympic Games tickets and Hunt denied the episode had jeopardised his position, telling Sky News: “Not at all. We work with our boards, and with the IOC (International Olympic Committee), and the 33 sports to make sure that we were pursuing a contractual right that we had. We have consulted widely, and everyone has supported the way we have handled this.”

Hunt added: “We have always said we wanted a settlement and that’s what we have got. When you have to pursue something that you think is right, it might not always be popular. What we have done in pursuing what was a narrow contractual dispute has been blown out of all proportion and now we are taking a stand to make sure we can close it off and agree a settlement that helps LOCOG and British athletes.”

London 2012 has agreed “in principle” to lift the suspension of Moynihan and Hunt from its board meetings and LOCOG chief executive Paul Deighton added: “We are obviously pleased to get the dispute behind us so we can just move on and concentrate on what’s important, which is delivering a great Games and a great Team GB that can win medals.”

If successful in their bid to host the 2017 World Athletics Championships, Doha will use the same air-cooling technology that they plan to employ during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Qatari capital is one of four cities bidding to host the event alongside London, who want to stage the Championships in the stadium being built for next year’s Olympics, and are seen as the English capital’s biggest rival.

Doha’s bid to host the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics failed two years ago because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled that holding the Games there in July or August could be too dangerous because of the searing heat at that time of the year in the Gulf.

But pioneering cooling technology was invented during the country’s controversial bid to host the World Cup to counter the threat of average temperatures in Qatar in the summer which peak at around 41 Celsius and can often pass 50 degrees Celsius and they now plan to utilise that in the World Championships if they are awarded the event.

Qatar has developed system of solar-powered, air-cooled stadiums with roofs designed to shelter the fans and players. Qatar proposes playing World Cup matches in 12 stadiums equipped with the technology.

The technology can keep the temperature at under 20 degrees Celsius – a long way below the 30-degree mark at which most medical experts agree conditions become dangerous. 

If Qatar officials also manage to convince the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) of the benefits of the system then it could also have major benefits for its proposed bid to host the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

A spokesman for the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) told insidethegames: “We are presently considering the potential dates for hosting the 2017 IAAF World Championships, and we will enter discussions with the IAAF over dates at the appropriate time during the bidding process.

“Should Qatar’s bid for the Championships be successful, the proposed stadium would be Doha’s Khalifa International Stadium which will be fully equipped with the latest environmentally friendly air-cooling technology.”