(Tokyo) Japan may postpone its bid for the Winter Olympics by four years to 2034 following corruption scandals linked to the Tokyo Olympics, the country’s Olympic official has warned.
The city of Sapporo had ambitions to host the 2030 Games, but Japanese Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita told reporters that it would be “difficult to move forward without getting people’s understanding.” .
His comments come as the judiciary investigates allegations of corruption and rigged bidding in connection with the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yamashita said he would discuss the bid with the mayor of Sapporo, who won re-election on Sunday against two anti-Olympic candidates, Japanese media reported.
He further indicated that the discussions would focus on a possible candidacy in 2034 instead of 2030, stating that the mayoral election had “made it clear that many people in the city have concerns and worries” about the organization. of these Games.
A poll taken outside polling stations by the Jiji news agency suggests that a majority of voters oppose Sapporo’s bid.
Of the 651 voters questioned after voting, 53% declared themselves opposed to the organization of the Winter Olympics, 27% were in favor and 20% expressed no opinion.
The city of Sapporo has already announced that it will not hold a public referendum on the organization of the Games.
But she said in December that she would stop actively promoting the candidacy and would organize a nationwide poll to gauge the support she enjoys.
Other bidders to host the 2030 Games have dropped out, with Salt Lake City now expressing a preference for the 2034 Games.
Vancouver in Canada and Barcelona-Zaragoza in Spain also withdrew their bids. Sweden announced in February that it was considering entering the race for 2030.
