Success for Tokyo would be big boost to Sapporo

The president of the Japanese Olympic Committee said yesterday that, if Tokyo can pull off next year’s Summer Games, then the city of Sapporo could be in a good position to hold the 2030 Winter Olympics.

Yasuhiro Yamashita, a former Olympic gold medallist in judo, acknowledged at a news conference that it will be difficult holding the Olympics next year. And he pointed out that nobody can know the state of the coronavirus pandemic in a few months or next year.

“We have heard many concerns about whether the Olympics and Paralympics can be actually held as well as suggestions for canceling the games,” Yamashita said. “We are currently going through the situation that nobody has ever experienced before and we would like to focus on what we should do now.”

He added that if the Tokyo Olympics “are held successfully, then we can have a clear prospect for the possibility of hosting 2030” in Sapporo.

The marathons and race walks for next year’s Olympics have been moved to Sapporo because of cooler weather. That will give the northern city a chance to show off to IOC officials.

Japan has already registered interest in 2030 but could face competition from Salt Lake City, or a Spanish bid linked to Barcelona and the Pyrenees.

Sapporo held the 1972 Winter Olympics, and Salt Lake was the host in 2002. Barcelona held the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Beijing will hold the 2022 Winter Olympics, followed in 2026 by the Italian cities Milan and Cortina d’ampezzo.

Yamashita also said he backed proposals by the Tokyo organizing committee and the Switzerlandbase International Olympic Committee to “simplify” next year’s Olympics.

Neither the IOC nor local organisers have offered any specifics about what will be reduced. They have said that events will not be cut, nor will the quota of 11,000 Olympic athletes and 4,400 Paralympians.