KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) – Japanese organizers apologized to the IOC on Wednesday over the scrapping of the original plans for the Olympic stadium and delivered assurances that the new venue will be ready in time for the 2020 Games.
The International Olympic Committee, meanwhile, said it would work with Japan on the new project to make sure “there are no surprises” this time.
Earlier this month, the Japanese government threw out the design plans for the flagship stadium amid public criticism of the 252 billion yen ($2 billion) price tag, which was nearly double the original estimate and would have made it the most expensive sports stadium ever.
The government said it would start over with a new design and construction competition. The move means the stadium will not be ready as planned for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, but Tokyo organizers and the IOC said they are confident it will be built in time for the games.
“I forthrightly extended our apologies regarding the change in plans for the national stadium,” organizing committee head Yoshio Mori said after a meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach and his executive board in Kuala Lumpur. “But they said it was not necessary to feel apologetic. The IOC said that changes need to be made, and as long as the changes are made for the better, that is fine.”