Sapporo mayor cancels trip to Lausanne amidst dampening sentiment over Tokyo 2020 bribery case

Sapporo’s dreams of an Olympic sequel hit a snag on Monday, when Sapporo mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto revealed he canceled a planned trip to International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. The cancellation coincided with a series of arrests stemming from the Tokyo 2020 bribery scandal.

Nonetheless, Akimoto maintained the bribery case was not responsible for the cancellation. He told reporters, “it has nothing to do with the bribery case surrounding the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.” He didn’t not provide additional reasoning for the cancellation.

Japanese Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita stated, “I and the IOC spoke over the weekend. The scheduling didn’t go well and we mutually proposed to cancel it this time.”

It’s unclear what derailed the scheduling between the two parties, but a source close to Sapporo’s bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics suggested the bribery case might have complicated relations.

“The issue was the timing of it (the meeting). Visiting them now would only draw criticism. There was no other option but to take that decision,” an unnamed source told Kyodo News.

Regardless of the reasoning, the cancellation marks a noteworthy blow to a bid often regarded as the front runner in the race to host the 2030 Winter Olympics. Akimoto’s visit would have looked to solidify faith in the bid. Now, its cancellation will be viewed as an unexpected hurdle for local bid leaders.

Sapporo faces strong competition from Salt Lake City, Utah and Vancouver, Canada for the right to host the 2030 Winter Olympics. The IOC is expected to whittle down the field of candidates in December, though no firm commitment has been made to that benchmark.

Polls touted by Akimoto in March reportedly showed positive sentiment towards hosting the Olympics again, but domestic publications claim attitudes have soured when it comes to the bid.

Japan’s experience with the Olympic Games has been fraught in recent years. The country seemed well positioned for an extraordinary edition of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the event.

Budgets ballooned, spectators were sidelined, and the Games were held in a bubble. Allegations of bribery have only further complicated the legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Whether or not Japan will be given the opportunity for an Olympic rebound remains to be seen. It’s clear that the process won’t be as smooth as many expected only a few months ago.

The IOC Executive Board will meet later this week. Discussion on the 2030 bid race isn’t outlined on the itinerary, but will no doubt be on the minds of top officials as stated benchmarks loom large