IOC会長ちょう “オリンピック開催かいさい時期じき見直みなおす議論ぎろんが必要ひつよう”

Kirsty Coventry, who became the president of the International Olympic Committee IOC this June, responded to an exclusive interview with NHK and said regarding the timing of the Summer and Winter Games, Due to the effects of global warming, the time has come where we can no longer limit the events to the current periods.

He stated, We need to openly discuss the timing of the event, and made it clear that he intends to move forward with full-scale discussions for a review.

Ms. Coventry, a 42-year-old Olympic gold medalist in swimming from Zimbabwe, became the first woman and the first person from Africa to be appointed as IOC president this June.

And in September, during his first visit to Japan after assuming the position of president, he gave an exclusive interview to NHK in Tokyo.

In this context, Chairperson Coventry said, We must not keep making the scale of the Games bigger and bigger, taking into account the current situation where the number of candidate cities is decreasing due to rising hosting costs.

We want to find ways to reduce the number of events and participants, lessen the burden on host cities, and at the same time increase the impact of the games, he said, indicating that they will consider how to hold sustainable tournaments.

On top of that, regarding the timing of the summer tournaments, which are mainly held from July to August, and the winter tournaments, which are mainly held in February, “Due to the effects of global warming, we are no longer at a stage where we can limit these events to only the current periods.”

In order not to reduce the number of countries that can host the tournament, it is necessary to openly discuss the timing of the event, he said, indicating his intention to move forward in earnest with discussions for a review.

Furthermore, regarding the possibility of moving summer and winter events, he stated, Some IOC members have inquired about the compatibility between summer and winter events, but I think this would become a very complicated issue, expressing the view that there are significant hurdles to realization. On the other hand, he also said, What’s important is how to create an environment where each country can confidently raise their hand and say, ‘We want to host the Olympics.’

Regarding the Olympics, the method for selecting host cities is also being reviewed, and attention is focused on whether Chairperson Coventry will be able to embark on bold reforms during her eight-year term.

Chairperson Coventry referred to the Tokyo Games in 2021, saying, It is well known that holding the Tokyo Games during the COVID-19 pandemic was an extremely difficult challenge.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak with some athletes during a meeting, and they spoke very positively about their experiences in Tokyo. They expressed great gratitude for Japan hosting the event at that time.

And referring to the World Athletics Championships he observed during this visit to Japan, he said, Just as the National Stadium was filled to capacity this time, I hope that one day the Olympics will be held in Japan again.

Currently, regarding Sapporo, which has suspended its bid to host the Winter Olympics, “I’ve been there once in the summer and once in the winter, and I remember that in winter there was a lot of snow and it was very beautiful.”

If Japan wants to host the Olympics in the future, I think that would be wonderful, and when I came to see the Rugby World Cup in 2019, the enthusiasm of the Japanese fans was amazing.

I think this is true not only for Japan but for the whole world—the challenge is how to attract young people, he said, expressing the view that gaining the understanding of the younger generation is essential for the bid.