The leaders of the Japanese Olympic Committee (COJ) announced on Wednesday their decision to withdraw their candidacy for the 2030 Winter Games, in particular because of the corruption that has marred the organization of the Tokyo Summer Games in 2021 .
At a press conference from Tokyo, the mayor of Sapporo, Katsuhiro Akimoto, and the president of the COJ, Yasuhiro Yamashita, announced that they were withdrawing their candidacy due to the lack of support from the population, whose confidence in the authorities was declining. is crumbling due to stories of corruption surrounding the Tokyo Olympics that began circulating last year.
“We couldn’t win people’s support,” Mr. Akimoto admitted to reporters. There was widespread unease among the population stemming from the criminal cases associated with the Tokyo Games, and there was also concern about the tax burden that would result from hosting this sporting event. »
The capital of Sweden, Stockholm, is now the favorite to win the 2030 Olympics. For its part, Salt Lake City, Utah, is almost certain to win the organization of the 2034 Olympics.
Both Japanese leaders have indicated they will review Sapporo’s bid for the 2034 or subsequent Games, but their chances appear slim, and the statements are widely seen as a face-saving move.
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