Asian Games 2026 in Japan will 'wipe away' doubts

Official admits public support since Tokyo 2020 bribery scandal ‘might have got worse’

HANGZHOU:

The 2026 Asian Games in Japan can "wipe away" public doubts over holding major sporting events, a senior official told AFP, following a wide ranging corruption scandal surrounding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

It came as Japanese media reported that Sapporo is set to abandon its bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics and may now instead try for 2034 or later.

Graft scandals from the Tokyo Olympics, which were delayed to 2021 because of Covid, have damaged public support for hosting major competitions in Japan and have forced a rethink over the Sapporo bid.

The Asian Games – which boast more athletes than the Olympics – wrap up in the Chinese city of Hangzhou on Sunday and the central Japanese city of Nagoya and the wider Aichi area is the next host.

Organising committee acting director-general Yasuhiro Nakamori admitted the public perception of events "might have got worse" since the Tokyo Olympics, which took place in a Covid-secure "bubble".

But he believes holding a successful Asian Games will dispel any doubts.

"During the Tokyo Olympics themselves, the athletes' performances really moved people, not just in Japan but around the world too," he said, speaking in Hangzhou.

"We want to wipe away that image by putting on an event that shows the athletes giving their best performance."

Nakamori warned that Aichi-Nagoya organisers must make sure they do not "repeat the same mistakes" as Tokyo.

Bribery and bid-rigging allegations in the aftermath of the Tokyo Games have implicated major companies and seen several business figures convicted.

"To make sure there is absolutely no more bid-rigging or corruption, we need to have a procurement committee and have third-party oversight so that we create a flawless system," Nakamori said.

The Hangzhou Asian Games has featured about 12,000 competitors from 45 nations and territories battling it out in 40 sports.

Another concern among Japanese people is the cost of staging such a vast event.

Nakamori said the Aichi-Nagoya Games will "make effective use" of existing facilities, with only two new ones.

That means some sports will be held outside the Aichi-Nagoya area, with swimming, one of the main events, taking place over 200 miles (350 kilometres) away at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre – a venue for the Tokyo Olympics.

Plans for a newly constructed athletes' village have also been replaced by a network of existing hotels.

"We want to make use of the facilities we already have and try not to create any white elephants," said Nakamori.

ESports will return to the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya after featuring as a medal event for the first time in Hangzhou.

The competition was a smash-hit with fans who packed out the arena and gave competitors the rock-star treatment.

Nakamori said the event had "given us lots of food for thought".

"The Hangzhou Games put a lot of effort into eSports," he said. "They had a great new venue with the way it was decorated, the way they presented it, and where the fans were sitting."

Nakamori said organisers have not yet started to promote the Games but believes excitement will start to build once the spotlight falls on Aichi-Nagoya.

Preparations are on schedule and he is "confident that we have plenty of time to get ready", he said.

Nakamori said the concept of the Games is to "create the best environment" for athletes to perform. "We're putting on this event for the athletes, so that they can perform at their best."