Tokyo Olympic organizers call time on lavish hospitality for IOC members

At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, they were able to receive free food such as fruits, sandwiches and salad in the lounges, in addition to beverages, including coffee and beer.

Yes , by all means cut back on the free sandwiches and coffee, but just don't touch those five star hotels, chauffeured limos, little gold watch gifts, ladies of the night and straight out bribes.

They are a long held tradition of the Olympics and MUST stay in place.

gary

As the unprecedented delay of the Summer Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to cost several hundreds of billions of yen, the committee has reviewed the special treatment of officials, which includes offering free alcoholic beverages.

"There were parties somewhere every night. It seemed like almost the same people showed up," Yoshiro Mori, the president of the Tokyo organizing committee, said at a press conference on Oct 7. "I have always wondered whether it is okay for the Olympics to spend this much money."

After millions under lockdown, seeing businesses shuttered and bankrupt, job losses,economic misery and regressive taxes affecting the least fortunate how generous of them to finally have a little consideration for the impact of their publicly funded event of nationalistic posturing on society.

Reducing costs of an already well over budget amount.

Covid will mean less guests than usual and as a result a decrease of the hospitality guests.

Is that really an effort done or just some PR ?

Only insiders do know

I can understand free sports drinks and veggie burgers for these bludgers as it promotes healthy lifestyles, but I don’t think champagne, aged whiskey and Wagyu beef is the right message to send to the world.

Some pathetic populism and window dressing and for Mori San to know that “ always the same people turned up” he had to be one of them. This hospitality has to cost nothing as with some good P R companies will provide it for free. Anyway the 70 local and 14 global sponsors and each federation provide their own hospitality.

cable tv replaced by livestream, now that is going to make the budget difference. Cutting the ridiculous open and closing ceremony budgets, that will really help and the overstaffing and the Dentsu bills. That will help.

If Kabukicho is closed because of pandemic, hospitality still can be served by sending the legions into the hotel rooms. lol

That's a shame. This is Japanese bureaucrats' speciality.

Much of the hospitality is provided by corporate sponsors, eager for advertising and kowtowing to the Lords of the Rings. It is their chance to remind the Olympic Village that they are contributing/ paying for the games, and to rub shoulders with the Masters of the Universe. There's also quite a lot of creativity in these themed parties. Little tax payer money is involved, that goes on the lavish accommodation, limousine transportation, gifts and other Olympic largesse.

If Kabukicho is closed because of pandemic, hospitality still can be served by sending the legions into the hotel rooms. lol

So you also get your letterbox stuffed with “health massage” flyers too?

Bribery???

Tell them to brown bag it.