Tokyo to Host the 2020 Olympic Games
September 7, 2013
After years of campaigning, Tokyo was awarded the honour of hosting the Olympic Games in 2020.
The announcement came at the 125th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Buenos Aires, where the Tokyo 2020 put on arguably the strongest final presentation.
Tokyo 2020 was long described as the “safe pair of hands” and eventually defeated Istanbul and Madrid.
Tokyo won in the first round of voting but not by a clear majority and so the voting went to the second round.
Istanbul joined them, but not before winning a tiebreaker between themselves and Madrid.
The final voting was won clearly, with Tokyo taking 60 votes and Istanbul receiving 36.
Tokyo 2020 President, Tsunekazu Takeda said: “Tokyo is honoured and humbled by the International Olympic Committee’s decision to award us the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“It is with an incredible sense of excitement that we express our thanks to the IOC members and the wider International sports movement.
“The Olympic Family has put its faith in our great city to deliver the memorable Games we have promised, and we will not let them down.
(IOC parting President Jacques Rogge pulls Tokyo 2020 out of the box)
“With no doubt, this will be a memorable event for the every member of the Olympic Family, every athlete and every spectator.
“The most recent public polls revealed that 92 per cent of the Japanese population supported Tokyo’s hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games, so I am confident that 116 million Japanese people are smiling right now.
“We thank each one of those individuals for their support of Tokyo 2020 throughout this extraordinary two-year journey.”
(Japanese fencer Yuki Ota cries as Rogge announces the winner)
Strong presentation
Earlier in the day Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe joined the delegation and presented to the IOC.
He responded to questions regarding the Fukushima radioactive spill strongly, which would have provided a boost to Tokyo 2020’s bid.
More to follow…
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