2020 Olympic Games Awarded to Tokyo
As reported by Mike Carruth at BMXNEWS.com
2020 Olympic Games go to Tokyo
Early Sunday, in a ceremony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the International Olympic Committee selected Tokyo as the host city for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Tokyo beat out Istanbul and Madrid for the honors.
Tokyo Governor Naoki Inose told reporters after the announcement: “In most competitions, if you don’t win a gold medal, you can also win maybe a bronze. In this battle, there was only the gold.”
If the projected figures are accurate, it could mean $40 BILLION in positive economic effects for the city, and more than 150,000 jobs–largely in the construction trades.
Venue Map at Tokyo 2020
The BMX Venue (above and top) is situated right in the thick of things, just across from the Olympic Village, and among Volleyball, Tennis Gymnastics and, of course, the velodrome.
It’s hard to believe that is has been four years already since Americans were on the edge of our seats awaiting the result of the 2016 bid competition. Chicago suffered a devastating defeat in Copenhagen, and blew more than $100 million on the process. We were looking forward to welcoming the world to the BMX News Global Command Center for an Olympic Eve party, before heading over to Garfield Park to shoot the race.
Rio, for it’s part, has had an uncomfortable time settling into its role, as citizens protest the money spent on the games, at a time when municipal services are being cut, and gas prices are on the rise. There has even been talk of a backlash against those who might attend the games– a sort of “reverse hospitality.”
No such problem in Tokyo, though the specter of the Fukushima nuclear plant accident has been mentioned. Japanese officials have said this epic catastrophe will have no impact on the games.
In related news, as part of their meeting in Argentina, the members of the International Olympic Committee voted cycling one of the 25 “Core Sports” of the Summer Olympics.
UCI President Pat McQuaid acknowledged BMX Racing as part of that announcement, saying
“One of my proudest acheivements as an IOC member has been securing the introduction of BMX as a new discipline in the Olympic programme. It made its Olympic debut at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 and was also a huge success in London last year – as indeed were all of the other disciplines.”
Stay tuned to BMXNEWS.com & www.TIME2SHINEBMX.com as more information develops!
