Unethical Gift to IOC Members

The Governor of Ishikawa Prefecture Hiroshi Hase revealed that he handed over the gifts to the members of International Olympic Committee for winning the ticket of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2013. Hase also told that the cost for the gifts was covered by the secret secretariat expenses, which is known as the secret wallet for Prime Minister managed by Chief Cabinet Secretary. If it were true, the action of Hase must have violated the Code of Ethics of IOC. Hase spotlighted another dark aspect of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

It was Shinzo Abe administration that seriously hoped to invite Tokyo Olympic games for 2020 and won the ticket in 2013. As the chief of the Headquarters for Promotion of Tokyo Olympic Bid in Liberal Democratic Party, Hase was in the position to make efforts to win in the future host election of IOC.

 

In the speech to a meeting of sports promotion in Tokyo on November 17th, Hase referred to the situation when he was involved in the election campaign in 2013. According to the news reports, Hase was instructed by Prime Minister Abe to win the election definitely. Abe also told Hase that any amount of money was available, indicating use of the budget of secret secretariat spendings.

 

Hase revealed that he made one hundred of photo albums, each of which costed ¥200 thousand, with the pictures of athletes in the Olympic games, who later became IOC members. Hase made a lot of trips with those albums around the world. One of them had been given to Sergey Bubka, a prominent athlete in men’s pole vault and a member of IOC executive board at the time.

 

Article 8 of Rules of Conduct for Future Host Elections in IOC Code of Ethics determines that “Interested Parties must refrain from visiting IOC members, inviting IOC members for any type of visit or from any form of direct communication.” Article 9 says “Any form of gift, official honor, invitation, advantage or promise from Interested Parties is strictly prohibited.” Giving a photo album would apparently be included in the prohibited gifts.

 

Hase later dismissed his speech as inappropriate, which might invite misunderstandings. But he did not talk about what he had done in his activities for the Olympic bid. After the Tokyo Olympic Games, actually taken place in 2021, a major scandals over the bribe for sponsorships caused broad skepticisms on hosting Olympic games. Sapporo gave up its bid for 2030 winter games. Hase’s speech will expand negative image for future Olympics.

 

Hase’s reference to the secret secretariat spendings reignited the argument over the secret money for the prime minister. That money is appropriated to the Cabinet and able to be spent without any receipt. It has been supposed to be spent for farewell gift, election campaigns, or bribe to the opposition parties to pass some important bills in the Diet.

 

Hase’s story indicated that Abe administration used the money for buying ticket for hosting Olympic games with violation against the ethical codes. The parties are discussing about inviting Hase to the hearing in the Diet committees.

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