20 July 2022 – The positive impact of Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is being celebrated this week, with the first anniversary of the event on July 23.

Tokyo 2020 faced unprecedented challenges as the first postponed Games, but managed to be safe, successful, pioneering and groundbreaking, with a legacy being demonstrated in Japan to mark the anniversary.

Special measures for the Games included staging events without supporters for the safety of the public and athletes. International Olympic Committee Member and Coordination Commission Chair John Coates paid tribute to the organisers and a co-operation that enabled the Games to take place and flourish:

“To secure the health of the people of Japan and the health of the participants we had to take the decision together to not have any spectators and that was a terribly hard decision for everyone involved. But it was the right decision,” said Mr Coates, “The fact the Games then received such overwhelming coverage, social media streaming and broadcast results is a great credit to the Japanese.

Together with our Japanese friends, the IOC, the Federations and National Committees, delivered a Games that no one thought would happen.

”While COVID-19 made it impossible to welcome spectators into Olympic venues, the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 adapted and innovated to make more content available to fans around the world than ever before.

TV, streaming and social media meant coverage increased by a third on Olympic Games Rio 2016. And new technologies brought authentic crowd noise into stadiums, then connected athletes with friends and families after they competed.

Encouraging healthier lifestyles and sports participation was one of Tokyo 2020’s core aims, and this includes sports that made their Olympic debut in Tokyo. The Ariake Urban Sports Park has re-opened ahead of the anniversary to host a skateboarding experience for Tokyo residents, part of the Ariake legacy area that includes the Tokyo stadium.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) says Tokyo residents engaging in weekly sport rose to 69 per cent in 2021, up from 60 per cent in the run-up to the Games and 15 per cent more than in 2012. Tokyo’s ‘sports legacy vision’ is ensuring venues attract as many participants and visitors as possible. The aim is for citizens to live “healthy and fulfilling lives” from the opportunities provided by Games’ facilities.

Another attraction is the Olympic Agora, a cultural hub bringing together sport, art and culture, and celebrating Olympic values. Exhibitions, visual art installations and digital programmes come together to educate as well as entertain.

The Tokyo Games legacy includes the minimising of the environmental impact. There were eight new permanent venues, but temporary venues have already been recycled or repurposed. 4.38 million tonnes of CO2 were offset going beyond carbon neutrality.

While legacy is at the heart of Tokyo Olympics 2020, the anniversary on Saturday is also a chance to look back with pride at the unique challenges that were overcome.

Mr Coates added: “We delivered a postponed Games for the first time in Olympic history at a time when, because of the scepticism and the global pandemic, they became a beacon of hope and a symbol of positivity for the world….”