Race for 2020 - Tokyo Appointments; Rome Boost; Doha Raises Profile; Madrid Bid Structure

(ATR) Tokyo bid committee strengthens its team with the appointment of three members of the Japanese Olympic Committee as senior department directors.

Following a meeting of the Tokyo 2020 executive board Wednesday, members also approved the content of the bid's application file, which due for submission to the IOC by Feb 15.

The JOC's international relations director and Tokyo 2020 executive board member Yasuhiro Nakamori is named head of the bid's international relations unit. Nakamori was deputy director general of Tokyo's failed 2016 bid.

Toru Watanabe gets a role as director of the marketing and promotions department.

Masa Takaya, communications manager and former International Triathlon Union media manager, is to serve as acting communications director for Tokyo 2020.

"After studying the key factors in several previous successful bids, we have noted the importance of the involvement of NOCs in realising a truly integrated bid team," Tokyo 2020 CEO and JOC vice president Masato Mizuno said.

"NOC staff have a wealth of experience in dealing with the International Olympic Committee and various other international sporting bodies, and are able to make a valuable contribution to the overall bid."

"I am certainly glad that Tokyo 2020 is now able to draw on the expertise and experience of senior JOC members and position these at the heart of our bid," Mizuno added.

"The JOC, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the national government and the Japanese sporting and business communities are fully supportive of our bid, and we are united as a single collective body determined to achieve our dream of bringing the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to Tokyo."

Sports Minister Promotes Rome 2020

Italy's sports minister has given the Rome 2020 bid a boost ahead of key announcements scheduled to be made at a press conference in the city on Thursday.

"Hosting the Olympic Games is one of the dreams of every minister of sports. From that point it becomes a topic beyond the responsibilities of the minister and turns into a project that the government first and then the parliament have to approve," said Piero Gnudi.

Gnudi's comments about the Rome bid came in Trent during the presentation of Italy's team of athletes for the Innsbruck 2012 Youth Olympics that open Friday.

On Thursday, Rome 2020 will hold a press conference at which bid president Mario Pescante will announce the results of three publicopinionpolls and a feasibility study on staging an Olympics in the city that last host the Games in 1960.

ATR will provide on the scene reporting from tomorrow's event.

Sports Gatherings Raise Doha's Profile

Qatar’s commitment to sports development is aiding Doha 2020's international profile. The Gulf nation's capital hosted two international sports conferences this week - the 2012 United Nations Sports for Development Youth Leadership Camp at the ASPIRE Dome and the Gathering of All Leaders in Sport [GOALS].

The UN event is being held in collaboration with international NGO Right to Play and the ASPIRE Foundation. It's a pilot project to empower 30 youth from nine countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Palestine Territory to become leaders in sport in their own communities.

GOALS is an initiative taking place under the patronage of the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Fifty experts and opinion leaders including tennis legend Martina Navratilova have come together to discuss the impact of sport on all aspects of society.

Their views will inform the agenda for the GOALS International Forum schedule to be held in Doha in December where the focus is on sport as an important vehicle for social and economic development.

Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, secretary general of the Qatar Olympic Committee, underlined the importance of the two events for the QOC and Doha 2020.

"Doha GOALS is an initiative that we hope will create a new dialogue on the power of sport and its ability to help achieve wider social goals," he said, noting that the UNOSDP 2012 Youth Leadership Camp was also a valuable showcase for Doha's sports event capabilities.

Madrid Organization Takes shape

The Spanish bid tells Around the Rings that it is busy preparing for an official presentation of the Madrid 2020 organization.

This will take place within a couple of weeks at the Cibeles Palace, the city's town hall, a few days before the launch of the bid's new logo and website.

Madrid Mayor Ana Botella will make the announcement about the structure of the bid committee in conjunction with bid president and Spanish NOC leader Alejandro Blanco.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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