Erdogan says Istanbul rejection as 2020 host was unfair

“It hasn’t been fair,” Erdogan told Turkish media. “In a way, they are cutting ties with the 1.5-billion people Muslim world.”

Get your house in order and then you'll have a right to complain.

Just to your attention: This bossy delusional P.M. of ours who had gassed down all the peaceful protestors nearly to death was talking in Turkey that he had given orders to the Japanese P.M. during the Nuclear Plant negotiation to resign from the Olympics so that the Tokyo governor will obey:)) Also two Japanese tourist are knifed in Turkey, one dead just recently happened. I am disgusted by this Erdogan and whoever attacked or gave orders to attack to the innocent Japanese tourists. Thumbs up for Tokyo!! Aishiteru ganbatte!

nobody wants to go to a crazy theocracy where you can be imprisoned for insulting islam. and dont say turkey is a secular democracy, puh-lease

Wow! Such a poor loser!

He has a point. Many things can change in 7 years however. If the radiation problem goes to the dogs even more dont expect people to come to Japan. Something they probaly didnt even think about since they are so good at brainwashing and lieing to the public. In 7 years we`ll truly know which place is the best.

Sorry, but this is just bad sportsmanship. Tokyo got it fair and square (we think), and Istanbul lost out for the fifth consecutive time. My guess is that if they put in a bid for 2024 and manage to keep clean until the next decision, they'll get it.

genjuro: "So, because his country wasn't chosen he somehow equates it to severance of ties to Muslims?"

It is indeed whining, and nothing but, but every sore loser does that. Just think about the last time Tokyo lost the bid -- Ishihara blamed everything on France bribing people to pine trees, and if you tried to take him to task he called you a foreigner.

But actually, he DOES have a bit of a point when it comes to singling out Muslims. You say 'Muslim' and a number of people think danger. It's a very, very unfortunate stereotype.

Istanbul is a great city, a stunning place.

But given the shenanigans in the neighbourhood right now, it's too risky to run an Olympics there.

To be fair Japan said something stupidly when they lost 2016 blaming it on something else and backroom deals.

Life isn't fair. He has a point about Muslims though..... although can you imagine the security nightmare in Istanbul? Al Qaeda catnip.

I can just picture Turkey's Prime Minister stamping his feet while shouting 'its not fair' like a 5 year old.

As Ishihara discovered, the optics of the whiner are unfavorable

Talking of vile people, what's happening with Ishihara? Is he ill or something? It's not like him to be so quiet.

The Turkish PM is mostly upset about losing the millions he would have received through the back door while assigning $19 billlion in construction contracts to cronies. The same thing will of course happen in Tokyo, but on a much smaller scale, as most of the infrastructure already exists.

The doping issue is a legitimate concern, and will be much less of a problem in Tokyo. As most people know, being a island country, bringing drugs into Japan is not easy. And buying EPO and other drugs in Japan is pretty much impossible. Likely there will few records broken during the Tokyo Olympics.

In a way, they are cutting ties with the 1.5-billion people Muslim world.

So, because his country wasn't chosen he somehow equates it to severance of ties to Muslims? He might as well have said he wants preferential treatment given to Muslims.

Japan won the vote with a wide margin of 60-36. Erdogan, here's more cheese for your whine.

IOC did not decide Tokyo for Buddhism. Dope? Japanese Govt attacking Japanese citizens? Turkey has more budget to prepare for gaming. Japanese have none gaming budget because many existing facilities can be used, uliuke Turkey which have to build every arena. I don;t think JSDF will be ordered to attack Japanese citizens. Japanese people seem to be more addicted to mangas than dope. Athletes, too? Japan did not have to issue no dope to Japanese citizens,

As Ishihara discovered, the optics of the whiner are unfavorable.

The choice of Tokyo instead of Istanbul to host the 2020 Olympic Games was unfair and showed that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is ignoring the Muslim world,

No, it just showed the ignorance of what is REALLY happening in Japan and especially the northern part of the country... Blatant lies about "everything being under control", people still living in "temporary quarters", people dying - maybe not directly from radiation (although my dog died of cancer in March this year, after two years of being caught in radioactive rain and probably ingesting contaminated water...)

The choice was simply WRONG, either Turkey or Spain would have been better choices - and particularly Spain could have done with a boost to her economy.