IAAF President Lamine Diack and LOC President Yohei Kono at the IAAF Press Conference in Osaka (© Getty Images)
IAAF President Lamine Diack and Local Organising Committee President Yohei Kono pronounced the preparations and technical conditions ahead of the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics which start in Osaka on Saturday 25 August as both exceptional and excellent during the IAAF Press Conference held this afternoon in the Osaka Grand Cube Convention Centre.
Also in attendence were IAAF General Secretary Pierre Weiss and Communications Director Nick Davies.
Earlier in the day the second of two daily sessions of the 46th IAAF Congress had in the description of President Diack “closed very smoothly” in the same venue without the need for an afternoon session, after it was decided the usual protocol that all reports delivered to Congress needed to be read out in full to delegates, was dropped.
Making the opening speech President Diack confirmed that the final figures for the championships were a record with 203 Member Federations and a total of 2003 athletes including wheelchair events – Men, 1063; Female, 940 – due to take part in Osaka.
“We are returning to Japan where in 1991 we celebrated a beautiful championships in Tokyo,” said President Diack, “and we are certain of exceptional competitions in Osaka.”
“I thank the Local Organising Committee and the city of Osaka for hosting us here at the Congress and the coming week at the World Championships with such excellent preparations and with such hard work.”
President Kono also remarked about Japan’s hosting of the 3rd IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Tokyo, commenting – ‘we have vivid memories of 1991. It was a very big success for Japanese athletics…we all remember in particular Mike Powell and Carl Lewis’ great Long Jump competition.”
“We are confident that we have provided the necessary conditions for the athletes to perform at their best in Osaka.”
“The Japanese team competing in Osaka will be wearing stickers saying ‘Clean Athletes’, an open declaration by Japanese athletes who want their sport to free of doping.”
Questions were asked from the floor about the level of ticket sales at the championships and both Presidents reassured the gathering again with references to the previous World Championships in Athletics in Tokyo.
“It was the same situation before the championships in 1991. Then a great marathon victory for Japan brought a flood of sales. So I am not worried, the interest is growing,” said Mr. Kono.
Mr. Diack reiterated the point saying, “do not be concerned, more tickets will be sold and the local organising committee have made a great effort particularly focussed at young people.”
“It was the same just 15 days before the 2003 Paris World Championships with concerns about the level of spectators but then day by day the situation improved and by the time the championships opened we had very full stadiums and atmosphere during the week.”
IAAF
