TOKYO ( Associated Press) – The Japanese Olympic Committee chief Yasuhiro Yamashita has acknowledged that the biggest obstacle to holding the Olympics is the cost of billions.
However, in another breath on Tuesday at a so-called “All Japan” meeting to promote Sapporo’s bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics, he said little new construction would be needed if the northern Japanese city lands the Games. – A huge expense for every Olympics.
“There are many ideas about hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games, both from inside and outside our country,” said Yamashista, speaking on the bid between politicians and business leaders – and in Sapporo. “I realize there are also concerns about the large costs involved.”
The official cost of last year’s delayed Tokyo Olympics was $13.6 billion, although government audits suggest it may be much higher. At least 60% was public money.
Yamashita referred to a new host-selection policy promoted by the International Olympic Committee, which for decades encouraged the construction of new arenas and stadiums that quickly became white elephants.
“It’s no longer about building something for the event, but it’s about hosting the event to build the city,” Yamashita said.
Sapporo, in conjunction with the regions of Salt Lake City, Vancouver and Barcelona, ​​Pyrenees, are known to be of interest in 2030. It is also possible that the IOC will award the 2034 Games simultaneously as it did in the naming of Paris 4 years earlier. 2024 Olympics and 2028 Los Angeles.
Under the new, largely opaque process, the IOC does not confirm any candidates in the early stages. Claimants can publicize themselves as publicly as they wish – or at least.
Keigo Iwata, head of the Sapporo committee, said: “I am confident that all of Japan have been approached for our bid.”
known so far here.
IOC technical teams have visited Salt Lake and Vancouver over the past few weeks. The three-person teams have not offered comment. A team is expected to move to Sapporo later this month. There are no plans to travel to Spain.
Salt Lake and Sapporo will not hold public referendums on the bids. Even one in Vancouver is unlikely to be caught, while reports in Spain say it is needed. Referendums have killed many Olympic bids – especially in Europe – rarely approved when asked by the public.
Salt Lake and Sapporo have estimated similar costs – between $2.2 billion and $2.6 billion. Neither Vancouver nor Barcelona have publicly released cost figures. Olympic costs are generally over budget, and it is impossible to estimate the exact cost nearly a decade away.
Sapporo and Salt Lake would seem to be the leaders. Almost all the venues from the 2002 Winter Olympics are in Salt Lake. The head of the bidding committee, Fraser Bullock, has said he expects to land in 2030 or 2034.
The only hurdle for Salt Lake in 2030 is that Los Angeles is set to host the 2028 Summer Games. It will host the Olympics in the United States twice within a span of 18 months.
Sapporo, which hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics, is also likely to use the facilities of the 1998 Nagano Winter Games. Nagano recently paid off debts from holding those games.
Sapporo also received high marks from the IOC for holding a marathon and race walk for the one-year-delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Vancouver has the allure of being the first “indigenous-led” dialect presided over by Canada’s First Nations. It also has several venues from the 2010 Winter Games, but lags behind the other two in preparation for bidding.
The new bidding process was partially fueled by the vote-buying scandals that plagued 2016 and the 2020 Olympics, The 2002 Salt Lake Games bid was also embroiled in a corruption scandal.
The IOC may choose the 2030 venue during meetings in the western Indian metropolis of Mumbai in May 2023. Members of the IOC will be expected to rubber-stamp approval to the recommendations of the Executive Board and IOC President Thomas Bach. A double prize is also possible.
,
More Associated Press Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
,
