'Istanbul 2020' draws criticism from rival host cities

Istanbul’s candidacy faces tough challenges as rivals’ statements add to pressure amid doping scandals, with a Spanish committee member targeting the city for failing to show covered women in any of the presentations.

Marisol Casado’s blow came unexpectedly as the Spanish member of the International Olympics Committee questioned why “there was never an image of a woman wearing a veil in [Istanbul’s] presentation videos.”

“Anyone who visits Istanbul will be aware that around 30 percent of women there tend to wear veils,” Casado said. “People who live in Arab nations are looking for something that will be more representative of their culture.”

Istanbul is one of the three candidates in the race to host the Olympic Games of 2020, facing competition from Tokyo and Madrid.

Candidate cities are banned from criticizing rivals during the election process; however, a similar remark was made by Tokyo Governor Noiki Onose in April that compared his city to Istanbul by saying that the Turkish city was underdeveloped and less equipped to host the games than Tokyo. Inose was also quoted as saying “the only thing [Muslim countries] share in common is Allah and they are fighting with each other, and they have classes.” The governor later apologized.

Vice president of the Japanese Olympic Committee Masato Mizuno, too, made statements on the candidacy of the Japanese city, and while not naming anyone, Mizuno’s “anti-doping” remark sounded like a swipe at the Turkish city.


/HurriyetDailynews.Com/