Expert available to comment on formal investigation of head of Japan’s Olympic Committee

With news breaking that the head of Japan’s Olympic Committee is being formally investigated in France for alleged corruption in the awarding of the 2020 Games to Tokyo, Michael Heine, the director of Western University’s International Centre for Olympic Studies (ICOS), is available to discuss the situation with media.

Michael Heine specializes in researching Olympic spaces, including the host cities, stadiums and sports facilities, as well as the economic narratives of the International Olympic Committee and its public and private partners.

Heine says:

“French prosecutors have identified Tsunekazu Takeda, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee and IOC member, as a formal suspect in a potential bribery case involving illegal payments in the context of the Tokyo 2020 hosting bid. The investigation, which has been ongoing for more than two years, reflects the IOC’s continuing struggles to live up to its own proclaimed standards and enforce clean Olympic event development.”

Commentary reflects the perspective and scholarly interest of Western faculty members and is not an articulation of official university policy on issues being addressed.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Renaud, Senior Media Relations Officer, 519-661-2111, ext. 85165, 519-520-7281 (mobile), jrenaud9@uwo.ca

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