- Title: IOC still to decide who pays for marathon move for Tokyo 2020
- Date: 20th December 2019
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (DECEMBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) TOKYO 2020 AND TOKYO METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE ON FOURTH VERSION OF OLYMPICS BUDGET EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PLANNING AND FINANCE, TOKYO 2020, GAKUJI ITO, SITTING DOWN TOKYO 2020 LOGO (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PLANNING AND FINANCE, TOKYO 2020, GAKUJI ITO, SAYING: "For the additional cost, of course we will discuss with the IOC. If the IOC shoulders this cost (of moving the marathon to Sapporo) then TOCOG (Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralymic Games) will not contribute to this from the contingency fund, and the cost will be borne by IOC. In the discussion, if there is a part of the cost which cannot be picked up by IOC and it is something that the TOCOG should bear, then we think it will come from the contingency fund. NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PLANNING AND FINANCE, TOKYO 2020, GAKUJI ITO, SAYING: "We do have a contingency budget allocated, so this is the amount we have included as an expenditure. However, this is not just for the Sapporo issue, but it would be for situations such damage due to a large-scale typhoon ahead of the games. We would have to deal with that and that's why we have an extra budget. If something unpredictable happens, we think there is a possibility that it might exceed 1.35 trillion yen ($12.6 billion)." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PLANNING AND FINANCE, TOKYO 2020, GAKUJI ITO, SAYING: "It (the Board of Audit report) has not made a black-or-white distinction between what is related to the Tokyo Games - events that are not directly related to the games, if they even have the slightest possibility of being related to the Olympics or paralympic games or might be potentially beneficial to the Olympics or Paralympics have been widely listed and taken into account. That is how we understand this. So, it is quite a different anount from what we think will be necessary and are preparing for the Games" NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING
- Embargoed: 3rd January 2020 07:24
- Keywords: IOC Olympics Sapporo Tokyo Tokyo 2020 budget marathon
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Olympics,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001BAS3FBB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Local Games organisers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have yet to decide who will fork out the bill for the controversial move of the marathon and race walking events at Tokyo 2020 to the northern city of Sapporo, organisers said on Friday (December 20).
There is a contingency fund included in Tokyo 2020's budget that has been set aside in the case of a natural disaster, but Tokyo 2020 said this fund might have to be used to pay for the costs of moving the marathon. A decision is expected to be made on this in the new year following talks with the IOC.
Tokyo 2020 organisers announced that the Games are expected to cost some 1.35 trillion yen ($12.6 billion), which is in keeping with last year's version of the budget, but admitted these figures do not include an estimated three billion yen ($27.4 million) for the marathon move.
A report from Japan's Board of Audit earlier this month put national government spending on the Olympics between the bid in 2013 and 2018 at 1.06 trillion yen ($9.7 billion), nearly 10 times the budget. However, Tokyo 2020 stress the disparity between the numbers is down to different "definitions of Games-related" costs.
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