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[Tokio 9 de Reuters]— About a week after broadcasting the airwaves saying, “The board of directors with many women will take time,” criticism of Yoshiro Mori, chairman of the Tokyo Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, has diminished. .Absent. Top athletes and ministers have also accused women of being dismissive and old-fashioned.
On the other hand, there are no voices calling for the resignation of the Games, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and government officials and the ruling party. This is because he believes that the yellow light could be turned on for the Olympics this summer if the influential President Mori disappears.
On the 4th, the day after his comments were controversial, President Mori apologized and withdrew. The responses received at the time and comments made in subsequent television interviews called for further criticism.
While the situation shows no signs of abating, some Organizing Committee officials say that if President Mori resigns, the holding of the Tokyo Olympics will be compromised.
Olympic officials and ruling party officials interviewed by Reuters see a deep network of Olympic politicians and officials as the key to the success of the Tokyo Olympics, and almost feel the benefit of ousting influential President Mori.
An interested person told Mr. Mori, who was attending the apology press conference, “The committee prepared the comments in advance and told Mr. Mori that he should not say he would resign.” Mori continues to receive strong support from the Japanese government and IOC executives, said the person, who responded to the interview on condition of anonymity. “There is no guarantee that there will be good things to replace President Mori.”
The IOC accepted President Mori’s apology and acknowledged that “this issue is over.” On the 7th, the Organizing Committee issued a statement in which President Mori withdrew his comments and expressed his deepest apologies and remorse.
In response to Reuters’s question, the Organizing Committee reiterated the comments on the 9th and 7th, stating that “President Mori’s comments are inappropriate against the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games” and “continuing the situation in Corona. We will do everything possible. possible measures and make preparations to put the security of the Games first, “he said in an email.
The IOC was also asked for comment, but no response has been obtained at this time.
In an interview with Mainichi Shimbun on the 6th, President Mori said that he thought about resigning but was persuaded to stay. “Everyone has stopped me. If the president resigns now, the IOC will be more concerned and Japan’s credibility will be lost.”
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on the 8th that Mr. Mori’s comments were not in the national interest, but only said that Mr. Mori’s advancement and withdrawal would be decided by the Organizing Committee.
With the new coronavirus infection not converging globally, it seems that another hurdle has been added to the event for those involved in the Games that aim to make the Olympics that have been postponed a year a reality.
With less than six months to go before the opening ceremony on July 23, officials are rushing to develop measures to accommodate thousands of athletes. A senior Liberal Democratic Party official involved in the Tokyo Olympics noted that Mr. Mori “is a living dictionary of the Olympics and knows everything about the last eight years,” explaining that Mori has strong support from officials. of the government.
Mori’s strength as chair of the organizing committee lies in his experience as a former prime minister and his presence as an influential person within the ruling party. The Liberal Democratic Party executive said: “There is Mr. Mori and he is traveling.”
Many feel that only Mr. Mori had the clout to move the governor and ministers over the decision to postpone the event last year, notes a mid-level official from the Organizing Committee. “I feel that it is not possible without the president of the organizing committee,” he said.
In the email exchange within the organizing committee confirmed by Reuters, an official noted that it is important that the organizing committee “protect with all its might” so that Mori can overcome it.
Kaori Yamaguchi, who won the bronze medal in women’s judo at the Seoul Olympics and is the director of the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC), notes that “Mr. Mori is untouchable.”
Yamaguchi, who participated online as an observer in the meeting on day 3 when he raised the problem, said: “I think it is very easy for the IOC. The dictator is faster. Mr. Mori is fine. Speaking of which, is this fine, “he said, noting that there would be no merit in leaving Mr. Mori.
IOC Director Dick Pound, who responded to Reuters inquiries via email, said Mori’s comments were “unfortunate”, while he withdrew and apologized: “I agree with this. Probably.”
Despite this support from people involved in the Olympics, public opinion is skeptical about Mr. Mori’s continued investment. In an opinion poll conducted by Kyodo News on the 6th and 7th, 59.9% of respondents said that Mr. Mori was “not suitable” as president. More than 80% of those polled requested a review of this summer’s Olympics, including “it should be canceled” and “it should be postponed again.”
The general staff of the Organizing Committee agrees with this public opinion and points out that Mr. Mori’s statements are also an insult to the staff.
An official said that he should have explained to the Organizing Committee staff after Mr. Mori’s apology conference. Another official points out that the IOC should have taken stronger action.
A member of the Organizing Committee staff, who anonymously said she was not allowed to comment in the media, said: “Mr. Mori’s comments are an insult to a woman working to make the Tokyo Olympics a success, and the staff member is his. I don’t think he’ll accept the apology. “
Several national media outlets have reported that the Organizing Committee has begun to coordinate holding an extraordinary joint meeting of the board and council within the week on President Mori’s remarks.
Yoshifumi Takemoto Mari Saito Interview Cooperation: Emi Yamamitsu Article creation in Japanese: Hitoshi Ishida Editing: Shiho Tanaka, Nobuhiro Kubo
