15 July 2021 - International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has met with KOIKE Yuriko, the Governor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG), and discussed final preparations for the upcoming Olympic Games.
“We are just eight days away from an historic Olympic Games,” said President Bach. “They will be the first ever postponed Olympic Games in our long history.
“That we are eight days away from the Opening Ceremony is thanks in particular to the people of Tokyo and the many unsung heroes of Tokyo: the medical people, the nurses and many others. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the entire Olympic movement.”
Other senior Tokyo 2020 and IOC officials attended the meeting, including Coordination Commission Chair John Coates and Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee President HASHIMOTO Seiko.
Tokyo Governor KOIKE met with President Bach for the first time in person since November last year, and thanked the IOC for helping to provide vaccines to Games staff and volunteers. She spoke of the unity around the world the Games and sport can provide: “I trust in the power of sport, the spectators are the 7.8 billion people of the world.”
President Bach added: “I humbly ask the people of Tokyo to welcome these athletes warmly, to cheer them, even if remotely, so that all these athletes can enjoy the warm Olympic spirit of the people of Tokyo and the people of Japan.”
The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will take place from July 23 to August 8 2021 and the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 from August 24 to September 5 2021.
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