
The IOC will monitor the development of a new stadium from the very start to make sure it remains “state of the art” for spectators and athletes, Bach told a press conference after an IOC executive meeting at which Tokyo organisers explained the changed plans.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced on July 17 that a proposed futuristic design for a stadium by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid had been scrapped because of the $2 billion cost.
“It wasn’t an easy decision for the Japanese government, but we respect and can understand that in such times you would not like to build the most expensive stadium in the world,” the IOC chief told a press conference.
He said the Tokyo organisers had made $1.7 billion in savings to the Games’ budget in the seven months since the IOC passed measures to cut the cost of staging the Olympics.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 30th, 2015.
Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ