(ATR) IOC president Thomas Bach will talk with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike about proposed venue changes and the cost of hosting the 2020 Olympics at a meeting Oct. 18.
The IOC confirmed to Around the Rings the trip to Tokyo was scheduled before the Rio 2016 Olympics and is not a ‘crisis’ meeting. Bach’s original intention for the visit was to speak at the World Economic Forum in Tokyo that runs from Oct. 19-22.
A review panel set up by Koike through the Tokyo Metropolitan Government warned earlier this month that the Olympics could cost as much as $30 billion unless budget cuts were made. One of the first cost-cutting measures is relocating several of the venues in the original bid plan.
Tokyo 2020's budget plan is due to be presented to the IOC at its executive board meeting in December. But any wave of venue changes and reductions are likely to become clearer in November when IOC officials meet 2020 Games organizers on the sidelines of the Rio 2016 debrief.
Bach is also expected to meet with Tokyo 2020 leaders during his time in the city to attend the World Economic Forum. The event brings together 2,000 leaders and future leaders from the arts, culture, business, government, academia and civil society. Hosted by the Japanese government, the event will kick-off preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Cultural Olympiad.
The IOC president is also expected to speak at the World Forum on Sport and Culture on Oct. 20. He will be joined by International Paralympic Committee president Philip Craven, Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori and World Rugby president Bill Beaumont.
First EOC General Assembly without Hickey
The European Olympic Committee will convene in Minsk, Belarus from Oct. 20-22 for its annual general assembly.
The assembly will be the first without longtime president Pat Hickey since he was elected president in 2006. He awaits trial in Brazil for his alleged involvement in a ticketing scandal during the Rio 2016 Olympics.
As a result of the allegations, Hickey has resigned from all of his positions within the Olympic Movement, including EOC president, Irish Olympic Committee president and Association of National Olympic Committees vice president.
Janez Kocijancic of Slovenia is the acting EOC president as a result of the Hickey investigation and will preside over the EOC executive board meeting taking place on Oct. 20 and the general assembly that takes place on Oct. 21-22.
A featured topic of the assembly will be the bidding process for the 2019 European Games. Baku, Azerbaijan hosted the inaugural European Games in 2015 and the EOC is currently trying to find willing bidders for the event.
Minsk is expected to deliver a bid to the EOC.
Two Candidates to Replace Gymnastics President
The International Gymnastics Federation will gather in Tokyo, Japan from Oct. 18-20 for its 81st Congress.
The main task for the delegates of the 125 national federations will be electing a successor to president Bruno Grandi who has served five terms and ends his mandate December 2016.
There are two candidates vying to replace Grandi: European Union of Gymnastics president Georges Guelzec and Japan Gymnastics Association secretary general Morinari Watanabe.
The election will take place on the second day of the congress along with elections for the three FIG vice presidents, the executive committee, the FIG Council and committee members.
IOC president Thomas Bach is expected to address the assembly during his Tokyo visit as the federation seeks to bring its statutes more in line with Olympic Agenda 2020. FIG will also welcome six new national federations during the assembly, bringing their total to 148.
FIS Celebrates World Cup 50th Anniversary
The 50th International Ski Federation World Cup season kicks off Oct. 22 in Solden, Austria.
The event will be highlighted by the presence of Heinrich Messner, winner of the first World Cup race in Berechtesgaden, Germany.
"The slope preparation is already so perfect, that we could race this weekend," FIS race director Markus Mayr said on Oct. 14. "It's better than it has been in the past 10 years."
The World Cup began in 1967 and the 50th World Cup final will be taking place in Aspen, Colorado from March 15-19, 2017.
Written by Kevin Nutley
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