Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will work to put focus towards Athletes through their mission “Athletes First”, expressed a press release by the Organising Committee today. Following overseas visits to all five Continental Associations of National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) continued on its mission to ensure athletes enjoy the best possible Olympic Games experience by organising a workshop for members of the National Olympic Committees in Tokyo on 25-26 May.
Along with the Olympic Movement spearhead IOC, and with member NOCs as pert, the workshop was aimed at helping Tokyo 2020 to fine-tune its preparations for the Games. ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg joined IOC and NOC representatives in providing guidance and recommendations to Tokyo 2020 on topics including accreditation, the Olympic Village, food services, and transportation.
Speaking about the discussions, Gunilla Lindberg, said, “There are 206 NOCs all over the world – some small, some large – and it is very important that the organising committee listens to them, learns from their experiences and explains the concept of the Games. One of our main duties is to make the best possible preparations for the athletes coming to the Games, and to that end we are planning to host pre-Games training camps in Japan. So far, we have had a very good cooperation with Tokyo 2020.”
2013 when Tokyo was selected as host city, Tokyo 2020 has made strenuous efforts to play a full role within the Olympic Family, regularly updating NOCs on progress made in preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Games and working closely with them to ensure the best possible conditions for the athletes.
Moving toward this aim, over the past few months, Tokyo 2020 delegations attended the Olympic Council of Asia Regional Forums in Korea (28–29 Mar. 2017) and in Oman (1–2 Apr. 2017), the Oceania National Olympic Committee General Meeting in Fiji (1 Apr. 2017), the Pan American Sports Organization General Assembly in Uruguay (25–26 Apr. 2017), the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa General Assembly in Djibouti (9–11 May 2017), and the European Olympic Committees Seminar in The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (18 May 2017).
Tokyo 2020 Summer Games Organizing Committee’s delegations also gave presentations at the NOC Chefs de Mission meetings during the Olympic Games Rio 2016 last August, and at the Asian Winter Games Sapporo 2017 in February.
Toru Kobayashi, Head of Tokyo 2020 NOC/NPC Services and Relations, commented: “During our visits to the meetings of the Continental Associations of NOCs, we had constructive dialogues with many members of the Olympic family. We will continue to work closely with the IOC and NOCs to make sure all the athletes’ needs are met.”
In a next on the list of milestones to be conquered, lie the NOC and NPC Open Day events this summer, which will continue to focus on achieving an “athletes-first” approach in every aspect of the Games’ preparations.