Bach: Rio 2016 "No Time to Waste," Backs Tokyo Stadium Decision -- On the Scene

(ATR) The IOC president says organizers are under "time pressure" on the delay-hit International Broadcast Center and face major challenges cleaning the polluted sailing venue.

Speaking at the media briefing in Kuala Lumpur, Thomas Bach said Rio 2016’s preparation problems had been discussed at the IOC Executive Board Wednesday.

"On the one hand, there is great progress. On the other hand, no time to lose," he told reporters.

"But given the fact that the organizing committee have acknowledged the challenges, we are very confident we will have great Games in one year from now."

"Acknowledging challenges is the first and most important step to address and overcome them," Bach added.

With one year to go to the Games to be marked Aug. 5, remarkably only one question at the press conference was about Rio 2016. Pressed by Around the Rings about the specific challenges for the organizers of the first Games in South America, Bach pointed to construction of the IBC and the battle to clear pollution at Guanabara Bay.

The IBC is scheduled to open at the end of October following a series of delays.

"We have discussed progress and time pressure on the IBC where time is really pressing," he admitted, before quickly praising work on the Olympic Village and "great progress in other sports facilities."

"We have been reassured that also the public transportation projects, which are forming the core of the great legacy these games will leave to Rio, they will be ready in time," Bach added.

On Guanabara Bay, he revealed that Rio 2016 had presented a package of measures in a bid to step up cleaning of the waters that are polluted with thousands of dead fish and raw sewage.

Bach said work was under way on one part, while other clean-up work would begin just before the Olympics and also during the Games "to make sure the safety and health of athletes is ensured as well as a fair competition."

Bach will visit Rio next week for the year-to-go celebrations and will attend the rowing test event, one of 44 warm-up events in the final 12 months before the Games open.

IOC Backs 2020 Stadium Change

Bach responded to several questions about Tokyo 2020’s Olympic stadium plans which have been dogged by problems. Last week the $2.5 billion venue was abandoned by the government amid rising costs.

Tokyo’s Olympic organizers updated the IOC EB Wednesday, receiving support for a review of the stadium project. Bach said the IOC respect the Japanese government’s decision to drop the Zaha Hadid-designed stadium to come up with a new project.

"Construction costs for different reasons have just gone through the roof not only for the stadium but construction costs in general," Bach said, claiming construction materials had soared in cost since Tokyo secured the Olympics in 2013.

"These are circumstances beyond the control of the organising committee and government," added, saying the IOC was sure Tokyo would provide a state-of-the-art stadium "with the best conditions for spectators and athletes".

With the Japanese government handling the new stadium project, Bach said the IOC would offer help in putting the tender together to ensure all Olympic requirements are taken into consideration "and there are no surprises in a year or half a year neither for the government or IOC."

Agenda 2020 Implementation

The IOC chief said the Tokyo Games was the most obvious beneficiary of Agenda 2020 reforms, in the realm of sustainability and legacy.Costs had been trimmed for the 26 venues now approved – 50 percent of them are existing facilities – leading to $1.7 billion in savings.

Another few hundred million dollars of savings were "in the pipeline because the new national stadium will be less expensive than the one planned before."

"Pretty sure we will go beyond $2 billion in this," he added.

Saying the implementation of Agenda 2020 "is going much faster than I expected" since the 40 recommendations were passed in Monaco last December, he said "the results and response we get are really very, very positive from all the stakeholders".

He pinpointed the overhaul of the bidding procedure and evaluation process as another positive from the reforms process.This had triggered strong interest in the 2024 Olympics, with bids or commitments from the U.S. and four other countries so far – Budapest, Hamburg, Paris and Rome are confirmed and others may join them before the Sept. 15 IOC deadline.

Bach also noted "good progress" on the Olympic Channel with support from the IOC’s TV rights-holders and the impact of Agenda 2020 on the Olympic body’s financial stability.

Sponsorship and TV rights contracts last year netted the IOC $14 billion.

"We are already giving back something of this success to the bidding cities," he said, referring to the revamps in the costs of bidding. The IOC confirmed this week that the application fee for 2024 bids had been reduced from $650,000 to $250,000.

This will be paid in three installments during the bid phase, with an initial contribution of $50,000 in September, a further $50,000 due before the candidate cities shortlisting and $150,000 in the third bidding phase.The IOC’s first annual report will be made public at the IOC Session later this week, which will detail revenues – "where the money is coming from and going to," according to Bach.

PyeongChang 2018 on Track

Bach described POCOG’s presentation to the executive board as "very precise." He praised progress in construction and marketing – PyeongChang signed a new top tier partner last week.

Organizers of the next three Olympics and Lillehammer Youth Olympics are due to present to the IOC Session on Saturday.

Reported in Kuala Lumpur by Mark Bisson

For general comments or questions, click here

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.