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Published: Sunday October 4, 2009 MYT 1:23:00 PM

Ishihara blames Tokyo 2016 failure on politics

TOKYO (AP): Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara blamed his city's failure to win the right to host the 2016 Games on behind-the-scenes deals, saying Japanese sports officials must become more adept in dealing with the inner workings of the International Olympic Committee.

"Tokyo's presentation was far better than the others," Ishihara said at a press conference Sunday. "But invisible dynamics were at play. It is a game that is very difficult to win."

Rio de Janeiro beat Madrid to host the 2016 Olympics in the final round of voting by the IOC. Chicago was eliminated after the first round with Tokyo going out in the second round.

Ishihara said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made "daring promises" to African people and that French President Nicolas Sarkozy promised to support Rio's bid if Brazil bought French-made fighter jets.

"I don't know how relevant these promises were but they seem to be in violation of IOC rules," Ishihara said. "This is part of the discomfort I have with the bid process."

The 77-year-old Ishihara said Rio's win was the result of an internal struggle between former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch, who wanted Madrid to win, and current IOC president Jacques Rogge who wanted the games to go to a region that has never hosted them before.

"In the IOC, a lot of things are based on what goes on behind the scenes," Ishihara said. "Samaranch wanted Madrid and Rogge wanted to go to a new venue so there were all sorts of issues at play."

The outspoken Ishihara, a driving force behind Tokyo's 2016 bid, even took a swipe at U.S. President Barack Obama.

"Prime Minister (Yukio) Hatoyama's speech was much better than Obama's, whose speech seemed to be just for granted whereas Mr. Hatoyama's speech had substance," Ishihara said.

In his speech at Copenhagen before the IOC vote, Hatoyama pledged that Tokyo "will show the world how a major metropolis can flourish without detriment to the environment."

Ishihara also said Japanese sports officials have to do a better job of influencing the IOC.

"The Japanese Olympic Committee has to be strengthened," Ishihara said. "Young hot shots have to go into the core of the IOC or we will always be considered outsiders."

On the possibility of Tokyo bidding for the 2020 Olympics, Ishihara said it is up to the will of the people.

"I believe the people in Tokyo still want to host the Olympics," Ishihara said. "Someone has to respond to the wishes of the people."

Tokyo spent 15 billion yen ($166 million) promoting itself for the games and Ishihara said all that money will be accounted for.

"Naturally, we will make a full explanation of expenses," Ishihara said. "Balance sheets will be examined, audits will be made and everything will be explained clearly to the citizens."

Ishihara, a well-known nationalist and co-author of the 1989 book "The Japan that Can Say No," declared in 2005 that Tokyo would bid for the 2016 Olympics, a move that discouraged the southern Japanese city of Fukuoka from bidding for the games.

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