Bach IOC위원장은 Tokyo개최 제138차 IOC총회 첫날(7월20일) 다음과 같이 고백하였다:
“I can admit that we did not know how complex this would be” (도쿄올림픽이 이정도로 복잡하게 전개될지 인지하지 못했음을 인정한다)
Bach IOC위원장은 “이렇게 어려운 시기에 일본정부와 조직위원회의 결단과 헌신에 감사”하면서(thanking the Japanese government and the organizing committee for their “determination and dedication in these challenging times)총회 서두에서 언급하였다.
그는 자신의 IOC위원장보고 연설에서 지난 해 감성적 롤러코스터의 심정을 다음과 같이 열거(recounted the emotional roller-coaster of the last year )하였다:
“We faced a choice: cancellation or postponement. There was nothing in between. ... Cancellation would have been the easy way forward. We could have drawn on the insurance that we had at the time and moved on to Paris 2024. But in fact, cancellation was never an option for us. The IOC never abandons the athletes. (대회 취소와 연기의 갈림길에서 취소하면 보험금을 받고 Tokyo2020대회를 간단히 종결 짓고 다음 대회인Paris2024로 갈아탈 수도 있었지만 취소는 선택사항으로 생각하지 않았으며, IOC는 결코 선수들을 버리지 않았다)
“Therefore, we took the unprecedented decision to postpone the Olympic Games. Today, I can admit that we did not know how complex this would be. The only certainty we had was rather than cashing in on the insurance, we would have to invest much more, to make these Olympic Games possible.
“There was no blueprint. Nobody had ever done this before. We could only take this decision because of the full, mutual trust between our Japanese partners and us. In fact, we came to an agreement with then-prime minister Abe Shinzo in a phone call which lasted only about half an hour. This agreement still stands today. ... We did it together. We did it for the athletes.”
Bach는 자신이 2021년 올림픽이 과연 실현될 것인지에 대해 왜 결코 흔들리거나 의구심을 표명하지 않았던 이유에 대하여서(why he never wavered or expressed any doubt about making the Games a reality in 2021)도 다음과 같이 언급하였다:
“How could we have convinced all the other stakeholders to remain committed to the Olympic Games if if we would have even deepened their already-serious doubts. Our doubts would have become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The Olympic Games could have fallen to pieces. This is why we had to keep these doubts to ourselves. And this, today I can admit and say it, these also weighed on us. It weighed on me.
“And in order to arrive at this day today, we had to give confidence. We had to show a way out of this crisis. We had to provide stability. We had to build trust. We had to give hope. ... And today I would like to thank all our stakeholders for having indeed trusting in us.”
Bach는 연기된 Tokyo2020올림픽에 US$8억불(약 1.08조원)이라는 IOC부담 추가 비용과 Tokyo2020조직위원회에게 배분할 US$17억불(약2.4조원)에 대하여서도 열거하여 설명하였다.
Christophe de Kepper(벨기에) IOC사무총장은 2021년 초 승인된 바 있는Olympic Agenda 2020+5의 진행 및 진척 사항에 대하여 기술하였다.
특별히 주목할 만한 사항으로는 Paris2024올림픽대회부터 "On Location"을 통해 시작될 IOC주도 하에 중앙집권화된 입장권 및 게스트 응대 프로그램(IOC-controlled, centralized ticketing and hospitality program)개설이었다.
이러한 IOC주도 특정화 된 프로그램은 관련 기술, 교통편, 경기장 계획과 관리 및 아마도 개발의 여지가 상존하는 다른 분야에도 중앙집권화 된 기획의 진수를 제공하겠다(programs to provide centralized planning in technology, transportation, venue planning and management and perhaps other areas are under development)는 약속이 담보되었다.
Paris2024올림픽-강원2024청소년동계올림픽-Milan/Cortina2026-Dakar2026청소년올림픽-LA2028올림픽 등 향후 올림픽 조직위원회 준비사항 보고는 총회 제2일인 7월21일 속개된다.
<IOC총회 Day 1/주요 결정사항 요약>
1) 반기문 전 UN사무총장, IOC윤리위원장 직 재선
2) 산악 스키(Ski mountaineering)종목, Milan Cortia2026동계올림픽 종목으로 확정
3) IOC표어 Citius-Altius-Fortius(Faster-Higher-Stronger)에서 Together를 추가하여 변경 “Faster, Higher, Stronger-Together”확정
4) 선수 대표들 NOCs 총회 및 집행부에 참여(Athletes representatives to have seats at NOC General Assemblies and executive body)
5) 6개 국제연맹 IOC인정종목연맹으로 승인(Six Federations granted full IOC recognition)
