Post date: Apr 30, 2013 8:26:34 AM
Tokyo governor apologizes over 'inappropriate' comments concerning Istanbul's Olympic bid which included religion.
TOKYO, JAPAN (APRIL 30, 2013)(REUTERS) - Tokyo's outspoken governor,Naoki Inose, who heads the city's bid for the 2020 Olympics, apologized on Tuesday (April 30) for his criticism of rival candidate Istanbul.
Inose made comments on Muslim countries in a New York Times interview which were seen as derogatory."Islamic countries, the only thing they share in common is Allah and they are fighting with each other, and they have classes," Inose, who was elected Tokyo governor last year, said in the interview with the New York Times.
Inose admitted his comment was inappropriate.
"I just said that there are some countries in the Islamic world that are fighting and I think it was an inappropriate remark and I want to correct it," he told reporters at the the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building.
Tokyo is competing with Istanbul and Madrid to host the Olympics for a second time after becoming the first Asian city to host the multi-sport event in 1964.
Istanbul is bidding for a fifth time after its previous campaigns were unsuccessful.
"I apologize. I am apologizing as my remarks could be misinterpreted by people in the Islamic world, so I am clearly apologizing for this," he added.
Inose's remarks prompted the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to investigate the situation and Turkey's Sports Minister said they were "unfair and disheartening" and "did not comply with the spirit of the values of the Olympic Movement."
Tokyo has yet to respond to the IOC's email enquiring about the meaning of the remarks, a spokesman for the bid said.
Inose's remarks sparked concern in Tokyo that it might affect the Japanese captial's bid for the Games. IOC's rules ban candidates from making comments on fellow competitors.
"I will continue to campaign properly, adhering to the IOC code of conduct which stipulates that one should not criticise other (candidate) cities," Inose said.
In Tokyo's favour are the fact that many of its venues are already built. Tokyoplanners also emphasize the compactness of its offer, with 85 percent of the venues located within an 8 km (5 mile) radius of the Olympic Village.
The IOC will decide on the hosts at a meeting in Argentina in September.