Olympics: under construction
Published in Der Spiegel among others, 1.6.2019
When in September 2013 Tokyo won the right to host the 2020 Olympics, Japan’s capital was supposed to be the safe bet for Games without any hiccups. The two competitors, Istanbul and Madrid, were either battling with a war in their vicinity or a public debt crisis at home. But one year before the inauguration of the 2020 games, Tokyo turned out crisis ridden. Investigations against the chief of Tokyo’s bid were opened on suspicion of bribery. In addition, the supposed costs of the games have been multiplied and Tokyo’s construction sites are run under shocking labour conditions. This story, a collaboration with my colleague Thilo Neumann, is an analysis of the many problems around the Olympic Games.
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© ALESSANDRO DI CIOMMO / ZUMA PRESS / IMAGO
© ALESSANDRO DI CIOMMO / ZUMA PRESS / IMAGO
When in September 2013 Tokyo won the right to host the 2020 Olympics, Japan’s capital was supposed to be the safe bet for Games without any hiccups. The two competitors, Istanbul and Madrid, were either battling with a war in their vicinity or a public debt crisis at home. But one year before the inauguration of the 2020 games, Tokyo turned out crisis ridden. Investigations against the chief of Tokyo’s bid were opened on suspicion of bribery. In addition, the supposed costs of the games have been multiplied and Tokyo’s construction sites are run under shocking labour conditions. This story, a collaboration with my colleague Thilo Neumann, is an analysis of the many problems around the Olympic Games.
Read it as published in: