Bach, in Hiroshima, says his visit reaffirms 'peace mission in Olympic movement'

I feel it is very disrespectful for anyone to ignore the wishes of local people.

"Beacon of hope?" You forgot "safe and secure" too. Nothing but a photo op, hope you go to the irradiated zone in Fukushima and tout the same there; after all this was supposed to be the Recovery Olympics.

2024 - Paris

2028 - Los Angeles

Demand for hosting the Olympics has decreased. Paris and LA were the only cities for the upcoming 2 Games. The Olympics has lost its reputation because of absurd demands put on host cities and the waste of money, space, infrastructure in the aftermath of most of the instances.

And especially after this year's backlash from people in Japan, the Olympics will no longer be a beacon of hope. It's just another means of making money for greedy politicians.

"Without solidarity there is no peace," he said at the Peace Memorial Park.

Spoken like a true autocrat.

Disgusting.

Absolutely sick.

Bach is visiting the A-bomb dome as a desperate grab for credibility. Well, it FAILED.

No wonder the Hiroshima locals are not impressed. What on earth is this man even doing there? Isnt his joke of an event supposedly happening in Tokyo?

And here is what Bach was asking Suga before going to Hiroshima.

IOC’s Bach asks Suga to lift ban on spectators if virus crisis eases. https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14396489

In that photo of him with his head down, in front of the wreath-holder and memorial (where I have stood, too), I doubt his mind was thinking of the lives lost. More likely, that he wants to get out of this 'event' with his hide intact.

Tokyo Olympics will be a "beacon of hope" for who ????? If anyone see Tokyo Olympics has a bacon of hope, they have been asleep or dead for the last 12 months. This bloke Bach and his mate Coats are really out of touch with reality. This really is more then out touch with me, what these two bloke have been sprucing for the late month is insulting and dead set rude to all Japanese's

Here is the man himself politicizing the Olympic games. What an unpleasant man. I am glad a few people managed to demonstrate. He is obviuosly enjoying his VIP treatment paid by Japanese tax payers. Shameless!

Don't preach unity when you ignore what over 80 percent of the population wants.

How is did Bach get to Hiroshima ? Private car,self-driven? If not, then whomever he went with has high chance of getting Covid sincd he didn't self isolate for 14 days upon arrival to Japan.

This is nowhere close to Tokyo and just adds insult to injury that he can do whatever he wants (3 say quarantine? Break out of Tokyo's state of emergency? Huh?). He's breaking travel restriction laws here and should be arrested. That would be fitting

Absolutely sickening! Bach just slapped the Japanese population on the other cheek! It’s just pathetic that the Japanese are tolerating this piece of trash!

Caption to the lead photo:

”His head bowed, Bach calculates in his head how much he is going to rake in from broadcast rights”.

Disgusting

This guy's photo ops are worse than Trump's!

Bach speaks about solidarity. Where's IOC's solidarity with the "Chinese" people and the infection situation here.

This man Bach sure thinks he some God or better than God himself

Not trying to be Gossip Girl but spotted: a GB athlete holding a large Starbucks coffee walking around town/station on the Toyoko line. Has he been here for two weeks?

The Olympics has lost its reputation because of absurd demands put on host cities and the waste of money, space, infrastructure in the aftermath of most of the instances.

The '84 LA Olympics were the last to make a profit, with money going to local sports programs. The '28 LA Games will likely make a profit as well. The key is to reuse existing structures. For example, the Colosseum, used in the '32 games, was reused in the '84 games, and while '28 athletic events will be held at the SoFi stadium already built and paid for by the NFL, the Colosseum will again be used for overflow crowds and other events. No doubt, LA will make a profit again - but then, LA is a sporting city, unlike Tokyo.

Just reaffirms that he is a complete prat!

@ TokyoiteToday 06:31 pm JST

It's normal for.....

Because you don't seem to understand why people are outraged let's re-cap for you:

Insufficient Quarantine.

Dishonest Pronouncements.

Travel Ban.

State of Emergency under way.

Unnecessary Event Unrelated Event.

Waste of Public Funds (Transport. Security. Accommodation.)

Public Endangerment.

We were just told by the government on the news that we should not travel between prefectures.

Obviously this does not apply to Bach.

@Tokyoite

It's normal for visiting dignitaries to visit Hiroshima and show their respects.

Weird people would find such a tribute disgusting. Ignoring the importance of it's part in history and not visiting would be disgusting. That's how Trump handled it.

Bach is not a "dignitary". It is not normal for someone to travel under these circumstances (State of Emergency in Tokyo, where he is coming from). As a matter of fact I do not think it has ever been done. He is also pushing games on a population against the games and has shown literal disdain for Japanese citizens.

What is disgusting is Bach's total disregard for the Japanese people and disrespect for Japanese history.

Isn’t he a part of the “Olympic Bubble?” The ones that Aren’t supposed to socialize with locals?

Guess not.

@dan

@ Alan Harrison

the nukes dropped on Japan were U.S bombs not British or Canadian or Aussie.

Why keep saying it was an allied bomb?

As an American I agree with you. It is a fact that this was a United States bomb, dropped from a U.S. Boeing B29. It was not an allied bomb as you have correctly stated.

Will Bach visit Nanking and Hubei before the Winter Olympics due to be held in PRC?

Protesters gather before International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach visits Hiroshima Memorial Cenotaph on Friday. -

Photo captions are more truthful than the headlines! -

Pure theatre. After enduring the torture of his 3-day quarantine, Bach appears in public to deliver some cynical BS about caring for the human spirit. What an insult to the people who died from the bomb.

Hours before his visit to the park in the afternoon, fences were set up around key areas to restrict the entry of regular visitors, similar to measures taken for visits by former U.S. President Barack Obama in 2016 and Pope Francis in 2019.

Wouldn't want him risking exposure to the serfs, would we? He's just too important.

Rules for thee...

is he doing this to get the nobel peace prize nomination?

@ Alan Harrison

the nukes dropped on Japan were U.S bombs not British or Canadian or Aussie.

Why keep saying it was an allied bomb?

He must be soaking that suit,standing out there trying to look respectable.

Hiroshima became merely a backdrop for a sales pitch, namely for Bach himself.

If Bach truly wanted to physically show respect for Hiroshima he should have gone as a silent private citizen. He could have written a note of respect in the Memorial guest book. Less would have been more in terms of sincerity.

Perfect timing with the 'warm' weather, traveling in a suit on the last day of the rainy season before it becomes too hot to do anything outside in Japan. Cases of heatstroke/sunstroke just starting to take off...

Wow, you’ve got someone denying that the US acted alone in dropping the bomb. There are effective ways to deal with guilt. Denial isn’t one of them.

TrevorPeaceJuly 16  04:27 pm JST

In that photo of him with his head down

He should hang his head down in shame, for being so greedy and downright disrespectable to the host country.

quercetumJuly 16  07:58 pm JST

Not trying to be Gossip Girl but spotted: a GB athlete holding a large Starbucks coffee walking around town/station on the Toyoko line. Has he been here for two weeks?

That's great! Did you get a selfie?

jeancolmarJuly 17  11:03 am JST

Hiroshima became merely a backdrop for a sales pitch, namely for Bach himself.

Not to push religion here but Jesus said when you give alms or pray, don't blow a horn or do it out in the streets where everybody can see you. That's what hypocrites do.

If Bach truly wanted to physically show respect for Hiroshima he should have gone as a silent private citizen. He could have written a note of respect in the Memorial guest book. Less would have been more in terms of sincerity.

And this proves that point, once again.

Apparently the South Korean delegation had other ideas. What a bunch of losers! After taking all that compensation from Japan and still complaining. It was their president that brokered the deal. They should take it up with their government, or better yet, go firebomb the ex-President's residence.

This bloke deserves two Nobel Peace prizes.

> spinningplatesToday  07:02 pm JST

@ TokyoiteToday 06:31 pm JST

It's normal for.....

Because you don't seem to understand why people are outraged let's re-cap for you:

Insufficient Quarantine.

Dishonest Pronouncements.

Travel Ban.

State of Emergency under way.

Unnecessary Event Unrelated Event.

Waste of Public Funds (Transport. Security. Accommodation.)

Public Endangerment.

Nice list

Do you honestly believe if there was no Olympics, somehow we'd have a better control of covid here in Japan?

If you do, you are ignoring (as you like lists):

Slow vaccine rollout

No clear lockdown

Poor test and trace scheme

Poor co-ordination of the health providers

It's normal for visiting dignitaries to visit Hiroshima and show their respects.

Weird people would find such a tribute disgusting. Ignoring the importance of it's part in history and not visiting would be disgusting. That's how Trump handled it.

Disgusting

what’s disgusting is all the hatred here.

@tokyoite - exactly

I often feel that everybody is missing the point here.

Bach also said in a speech that his visit to the city, devastated by a U.S.-dropped atomic bomb in 1945,......

Should this not read : Bach also said in a speech that his visit to the city, devastated by an Allied-dropped atomic bomb in 1945,.....

Bach visited the Peace Memorial Park and observed a moment of silence after laying a wreath at its cenotaph, dedicated to the victims of the bomb dropped by the United States in World War II.

Should this not read : Bach visited the Peace Memorial Park and observed a moment of silence after laying a wreath at its cenotaph, dedicated to the victims of the bomb dropped by the Allies in World War II.