(ATR) Organizers of the Tokyo 2020 Games are committing to hosting sustainable Olympics with the announcement to create recyclable medals.
The Tokyo 2020 executive board met on Wednesday and said it will create its medals from collected metals and discarded or obsolete electronic devices.
Companies that are partnering with Tokyo 2020 for the initiative will be announced in spring 2017. Details about the partnerships will also outline where the materials for the medals will be sourced.
"We believe this initiative will contribute to a sustainable Tokyo 2020 Games, and we are looking forward to the active engagement of partner organizations and the general public to help make it a success," said Tokyo 2020 spokesperson Hikariko Ono.
Tokyo 2020 says the initiative falls directly in line with Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms that place emphasis on sustainability.
"These medals will be a permanent reminder to the Olympic champions of 2020 of their achievements," said IOC president Thomas Bach. "It's good to see that they will also send a strong message of sustainability around the world in line with Olympic Agenda 2020."
Baseball and Softball to be Staged in Fukushima
The Tokyo 2020 executive board also outlined on Wednesday plans to host baseball and softball games in disaster-affected areas of Japan.
The cities of Fukushima, Koriyama and Iwaki were approved as venues for baseball and softball’s return to the Olympic stage after its removal from the program following Beijing 2008.
The prefecture of Fukushima was affected by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that led to a nuclear plant meltdown and the evacuation of thousands from their homes. The decision to host Olympic events in the disaster-affected areas is an effort to show the progress the country has made since the accident.
"We want to emphasize this as a ‘recovery games’ and we want to work together with everyone to move it forward," said 2020 executive board member Toshiaki Endo.
The idea was supported by IOC president Bach during his meetings with Tokyo 2020 organizers in October. Bach visited Fukushima and other areas affected by the tsunami such as Miyagi prefecture during his tour of Japan.
"I felt that President Bach had a strong feeling toward Fukushima when he came here," said Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori. "It can show the courage of Fukushima Prefecture and the Tohoku region, and on a wider scale Kumamoto and Tottori – places that are working hard to recover from disaster."
There are proposals to move the rowing and canoe venue from the Tokyo Bay to Naganuma in Miyagi as a cost-cutting measure as well as demonstrating the recovery the area has made since the tsunami.
World Baseball Softball Confederation Riccardo Fraccari will visit Japan next week to inspect the proposed venues in Fukushima. The IOC will provide final approval of the proposed venues at its executive board meeting from Dec. 6-8.
Written by Kevin Nutley
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