IOC on backfoot for ‘Nazi’ tweet

RIJIJU BACKS INDIA TO SHINE AT 2028 GAMES

Geneva, July 25: The IOC apologised on Friday and deleted a Twitter message which some saw as celebrating Nazi Germany’s hosting of the 1936 Olympics.

Joining a message thread on Thursday one year before the Olympic cauldron is lit at the postponed 2020 Tokyo Games, the International Olympic Committee used its official account to tweet a film about the first-ever torch relay entering the Berlin stadium.

“We apologise to those who feel offended by the film of the Olympic Games Berlin 1936,” the IOC wrote on Friday.

“We have deleted this film, which was part of the series of films featuring the message of unity and solidarity, from the @Olympics Twitter account.”

Replies to the IOC’s original message on Thursday expressed surprise by Twitter users at broadcasting footage from the Berlin Games, and suggested the Olympic body lacked awareness of history.

The official museum at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp added its reply to the IOC in the message thread on Friday.

“For 2 weeks the Nazi dictatorship camouflaged its racist, militaristic character,” said the museum’s verified account. — AP

New Delhi, July 25: Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said India will be competing for a top-10 finish by the time the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics comes calling, riding the government’s ambitious ‘Target Olympic Podium Junior Scheme’.

“We will leave no stone unturned,” Rijiju said.

He added, “the Target Olympic Podium Junior Scheme is scouting talent as young as 10-year-old and 12-year-old with an aim to prepare them for the Los Angeles Games.”

He was speaking about the objectives and goals India wants to achieve in the coming years during an event on a national news channel.

“We look forward and realise the dreams of every Indian to make India a great sporting powerhouse,” he said.

“Objectives are very clear, we have created the ‘Target Olympic Podium Junior Scheme’ that means those who are 10-13 years of age will be ready to become world champions by Los Angeles Olympics,” he added. — PTI