Skip to main content

Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee Calls WADA Report of Sponsorhip Payments to IAAF "Different From Our Understanding"

http://www.jiji.com/jc/zc?k=201601/2016011500412&g=spo
http://www.jiji.com/jc/zc?k=201601/2016011500418&g=spo

translated by Brett Larner

In response to a statement in a report published by WADA on Jan. 14 saying that Tokyo had paid sponsorship money to the IAAF and others during its bid for the 2020 Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee spokesperson Hikariko Ono expressed the committee's view that, "What is written [in the report] represents is different from our understanding."  Ono stressed the legitimacy of Tokyo's bid activities, saying, "The plans Tokyo presented were evaluated as the best and that is why the IOC Assembly selected them."

Former JAAF director Katsuyuki Tanaka, who served on the IAAF Council from 2007 until last summer, commented, "There's no doubt that former president [Lamine] Diack was sympathetic to Tokyo from the start, but I don't think what they have written is true."  With a large number of its companies sponsoring the IAAF Diack was said to have been favorable to Japan, but as Tanaka pointed out, "He was always lobbying people around him that he wanted it to be in Tokyo.  I think that was only because he thought Tokyo was the best, not because he was getting something."

JAAF managing director Mitsugi Ogata also commented on the report of sponsorship payments to the IAAF, saying, "I knew nothing at all about such information."  With regard to the confirmation of the reality of the IAAF's actions to hide Russian doping violations and the proliferation of other problems Ogata expressed a sense of crisis, saying, "We have to make a fresh start.  We must take steps against fraud and to improve integrity.

Comments

TokyoRacer said…
These guys, especially Tanaka, are naive? stupid? dissembling?
From all the reports I've read, Diack was one of the biggest crooks on the planet - with him, money came first, second and third. If you don't know that, you don't know anything.
Brett Larner said…
Tanaka was on the IAAF Council during Diack's term. Given what the WADA report says it's hard to take a charitable view of Tanaka's statement.

Most-Read This Week

Chien Breaks TPE NR, Iwata Betters ID-Class WR - Weekend Track Roundup

The last weekend of the academic and fiscal year saw at least 5 meets with good results domestically and abroad. Kicking things off Friday was the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne, where Tomohiro Shinno and Naoto Hasegawa took 1st and 3rd in the men's high jump, both of them only clearing 2.18 m along with 2nd-placer Roman Anastasios . 12 other Japanese athletes were in action on the second day of the meet on Saturday, where 3000 mSC NR holder Ryuji Miura ran 3:42.84 for 6th in the men's 1500 m. Nagiya Mori had a better one in the men's 3000 m with a 7:45.40 for 4th. Both Yota Mashiko and Rui Suzuki cleared 8:00 too, Mashiko's 7:53.84 the 2nd-fastest ever by a Japanese-born high schooler. Abigail Fuka Ido and Nagisa Takahashi both placed 3rd in their events, Ido going 23.85 (-0.9) in the women's 200 m and Takahashi clearing 1.82 m in the women's high jump. 8 Japanese men were at The TEN in California to run 10000 m. In the B-heat won by Edward Marks in ...

JAAF Announces World Road Running Championships Half Marathon Team

The JAAF announced the men's and women's half marathon teams today for this fall's World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen: Women Yumi Yoshikawa (Canon) - 1:09:14 (1st, 2026 Osaka Half) Wakana Kabasawa (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 1:09:20 (1st, 2026 Nat'l Corp. Half) Rina Shimizu (Noritz) - 1:09:22 (2nd, 2026 Osaka Half) Yuna Takahashi (Shimamura) - 1:09:23 (3rd, 2026 Osaka Half) Men Tomoya Ogikubo (Hiramatsu Byoin) - 1:00:22 (4th, 2026 Marugame Half) Yuma Nishizawa (Toyota Boshoku) - 1:00:26 (5th, 2026 Marugame Half) Neo Namiki (Subaru) - 1:00:29 (6th, 2026 Marugame Half) Daisuke Sato (Chuo Univ.) - 1:00:40 (7th, 2026 Marugame Half) Mile and 5 km teams, if any, will be decided after June's National Track and Field Championships. © 2026 Brett Larner , all rights reserved

Updates on Transfers

April 1 is the start of Japan's new academic and fiscal year, and there's always a wave of transfer announcements to go with it. Some notable ones yesterday: 800 m NR holder Rin Kubo skipped university to go straight to 2023 Queens Ekiden national champion Sekisui Kagaku after her graduation from Higashi Osaka Keiai H.S. Multiple NR holder Nozomi Tanaka rejoined the Toyota Jidoshokki women's team after having left it to pursue a solo pro career as a New Balance athlete. Already on the team for this fall's Nagoya Asian Games in the 10000 m, Ririka Hironaka announced a switch from her longtime home at Japan Post to the Uniqlo women's team. Collegiate marathon record holder Asahi Kuroda joined the 2026 national champion GMO corporate team after graduating from 2026 Hakone Ekiden champ Aoyama Gakuin University last week. Hakone Ekdien First Stage CR holder Rui Aoki joins the Sumitomo Denko corporate team after running his final race for 2025 Izumo Ekiden w...