In a major blow to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Japanese advertising giant Dentsu Inc. has announced that it will no longer be an official broadcast partner for the Olympic Games in Asia. The decision comes after allegations of corruption and bribery in the bidding process for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Dentsu had been a broadcast partner for the Olympics in Asia since 1964. The company had been responsible for providing television coverage of the Olympic Games in Japan, China, South Korea, and other countries in the region.
The decision to drop out as a broadcast partner follows allegations of corruption and bribery in the bidding process for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In July, Japanese prosecutors arrested Tsunekazu Takeda, the former head of the Japanese Olympic Committee, on suspicion of bribery. Takeda is accused of paying bribes to secure votes for Tokyo’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics.
The scandal has raised questions about the integrity of the bidding process and has put a spotlight on Dentsu’s role in the process. Dentsu was responsible for providing consulting services to the Japanese Olympic Committee during the bidding process. The company has denied any wrongdoing but has acknowledged that it may have been involved in some unethical practices.
The decision to drop out as an official broadcast partner is a major setback for the IOC. Dentsu was one of the IOC’s most important broadcast partners in Asia and its departure could have a significant impact on the Olympic Games’ reach in the region.
The IOC has said that it is committed to restoring trust and transparency in the bidding process and has launched an independent investigation into the allegations of corruption. The IOC has also said that it will take steps to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.
The decision by Dentsu to drop out as an official broadcast partner is a reminder of the importance of maintaining integrity and transparency in the Olympic bidding process. It is also a reminder that corruption and bribery have no place in sport and that those responsible must be held accountable.
