POSTED: September 17th 2009
NewsUpdate
Tokyo 2016 brings a dream team of heroes to lobby IOC
LAURA WALDEN / Sports Features Communications
TAMPA: The Tokyo bid team revealed how they will be ‘setting the stage for heroes’ by bringing a team of world-class Japanese athletes to try to persuade the International Olympic Committee to give them the vote to host the 2016 Games.
Focus on athletes has been a key point of the Tokyo bid team and they plan to play their trump card with 13 national sports heroes bringing to the table 31 Olympic and Paralympic medals including 11 golds as testimonials.
Dr Ichiro Kono, bid ceo, said: “In line with our promise to host the most athlete-focused Games in history, our delegation for the IOC Session in Copenhagen will include a large number of Japan’s finest Olympians and Paralympians who each believe in the 100-year legacy the Tokyo 2016 Games will create for sport, humanity and the youth of tomorrow.
“We are thrilled to have these heroes in our team and together we share the passionate goal of returning the Games to athletes and setting the stage for heroes to inspire youth worldwide."
Tokyo is also urging newly elected Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to join them in Denmark to help convince the IOC. Hatoyama took office yesterday so he will be another national politician facing a full schedule of challenges and yet need to go to bat for the Japanese bid. The Japanese royals have also been invited to attend and visited Vancouver recently on a formal trip.
The list of athletes supporting the bid:
• Yuko Arakida, Montreal 1976 Gold medallist, Volleyball
• Yukiya Arashiro, the first Japanese national to complete the Tour de France
• Fumiyuki Beppu, Beijing 2008 Olympian, Cycling
• Seiko Hashimoto, Albertville 1992 Bronze medallist and seven-time Olympian, Speed Skating
• Junichi Kawai, 21-times medallist (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008), Paralympic Swimming
• Mikako Kotani, Seoul 1988 Bronze medallist, Synchronized swimming, Tokyo 2016 Executive Board Member and Chair of the Athletes’ Commission
• Yasutaro Matsuki, former Japanese international footballer
• Shinji Morisue, Los Angeles 1984 Gold medallist in Gymnastics
• Koji Murofushi, Tokyo 2016 Executive Board Member, Athens 2004 Gold medallist, Hammer Throw
• Daichi Suzuki, Seoul 1988 Gold medallist, Swimming
• Aki Taguchi, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Paralympian, Shooting
• Naoko Takahashi, Sydney 2000 Gold medallist, Marathon
• Yasuhiro Yamashita, Los Angeles 1984 Gold medallist, Judo
Send off gala
Later the Tokyo 2016 bid team will be honored by a 400-strong group of Tokyo 2016 stakeholders and enthusiastic supporters, athletes and sport leaders, as well as representatives from business, government and entertainment, for a gala send off ahead of the delegation’s mission to the Danish capital.
Guests at the gala will include former Prime Minister, Tokyo 2016 Executive Board Member and member of the House of Representatives, Yoshiro Mori; Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman, Tadashi Okamura; Chair of Metropolitan Assembly, Ryo Tanaka; world-acclaimed architect and Tokyo 2016 Executive Board Member, Tadao Ando; and world-famous fashion designer and Chair of Tokyo 2016 Supporters Club, Kansai Yamamoto.
“Tokyo 2016 has a truly united Bid with support from every level of society in Japan”, said Kono, “from athletes, the Japanese Olympic Committee, Japan Paralympic Committee, national sport federations, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Government of Japan, and passionate supporters across the nation. Together, we share the ultimate dream of hosting the Games in 2016 and leaving an incredible legacy for the Olympic Movement and the world.”
Tokyo is in the running for the 2016 Games with Chicago, Madrid, and Rio de Janeiro and the vote will be held October 2nd at the IOC session and congress.
Picture (above right): Koji Murofushi and Naoko Takahashi / Image: Tokyo 2016
Keywords · Tokyo 2016 · Olympic bids · Ichiro Kono · Yukio Hatoyama
For more information contact:
Laura Walden ()
All original materials contained in this section are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Sports Features Communications, Inc the owner of that content. It is prohibited to alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.
