Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko ‘warmly welcomed’ the re-election of Thomas Bach as President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at its 137th session.

In a statement issued at the early minutes of Thursday (March 11) Koike said that President Bach has made valuable contributions to sports and the Olympic Movement, including significantly advancing the diversity and sustainability of the Olympic Games under Agenda 2020.

“He has also made tremendous efforts on behalf of the Tokyo 2020 Games, the first ever to be postponed,” she said.

“As the host city, we are very encouraged and pleased to be able to continue working together to advance preparations for the Games. The Tokyo 2020 Games will be a symbol of how the world was able to overcome the COVID-19 crisis through solidarity and how the bonds of humankind became even stronger. It will serve as a light of hope for everyone,” Koike said.

Tokyo governor Koike also pledged to continue to work with President Bach, the national government, Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, and other stakeholders to advance preparations for the Games so that it can be held safely as a new model for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which raises sustainable recovery as its goal.