Although they were closed in person to the public for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Games in the Japanese capital provided the largest Olympic telecast ever, according to the IOC.
The report said that official coverage of Tokyo 2020 through digital platforms and their associated channels generated a total of 28 billion video views, a 139% increase compared to Rio 2016.
In addition, the study indicates that the total amount of television coverage available increased by 33% compared to the Rio Games, while digital production increased by 34%.
IOC President Thomas Bach announced at a press conference that the numbers reflect the success of Tokyo 2020, as well as the changing communication landscape and increasing interaction of young audiences with the Olympic Games.
Bach also announced the launch of a humanitarian aid package for the Olympic and Paralympic community in Afghanistan in partnership with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). About 2,000 people will benefit from the package at a cost of $256.
For the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics, initiated last week by the United States and with the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, accusing the Asian giant of human rights violations, the IOC asserted its political neutrality.
“Political neutrality has been an intrinsic value of the Olympic Games, and in this time of political confrontation it is more important than ever,” the German official said.
“We reaffirm the importance of athletes from all participating Member States in the IOC and ensure that the integrity of the competition is not put at risk,” he said.
Bach returned to talk about tennis player Shuai Peng, whose whereabouts have been unknown for at least a month. Between 2012 and 2017 she has only appeared publicly on official Chinese press videos since the sexual abuse denounced by Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli and most recently spoke with IOC members via a video call. .
“We will continue our surveillance via videoconferencing. The priority is to guarantee their physical integrity, one of the fundamental human rights”, he pledged. EFE
