Int'l Olympic Committee Sources Say Tokyo In Lead For 2020 Olympics Host City Race

Several notable IOC members said that members of the IOC, "who will vote in less than three months to decide the host city for the 2020 Summer Olympics," are increasingly leaning toward Tokyo as the favorite, according to KYODO. Tokyo's emphasis on safety and security appears to be influencing the race for the 2020 Games, "rendering the Japanese capital a squeaky clean candidate amidst the turmoil and instability being witnessed in Istanbul and Madrid." An IOC veteran from Europe speaking on condition of anonymity said that "Tokyo is within reach of winning the bid, while another high-profile member with experience on the IOC Executive Board believes Tokyo will win as long as it has no major mistakes from now." One IOC member from Asia who said that he would also like to remain anonymous called the turmoil a "big blow" to Istanbul. Police in Istanbul "are being blamed for attacking peaceful demonstrators in Taksim Square" (KYODO, 6/17).