Japan does not joke with the notion of presumption of innocence. Tsunekazu Takeda can attest to this.
President of the Japanese national Olympic committee and number 2 of the organizing committee for the Tokyo 2020 Games, the former rider is suspected by French justice of having played a major role in a case of alleged corruption in the awarding of the next Olympics summer in the Japanese capital. But his colleagues in the sports movement do not turn their backs on him. Not yet.
Toshiro Muto, the president of Tokyo 2020, a former prime minister known for weighing his every word at length, explained through an interpreter: “ As you know, Mr. Takeda says he is completely innocent.". The Japanese can therefore keep all his hats. There is no need for him to resign.
For Toshiro Muto, things are clear as a mountain stream: Tokyo beat Istanbul and Madrid in the race for the 2020 Summer Games because its record was superior. The Japanese repeated it last weekend: “ Tokyo's offer was the best, that's why we won it.". Not the shadow of an attempt at corruption, therefore. The Takeda file would therefore be hollow.
Accused by French justice of having authorized two payments totaling 2 million euros to the Singaporean company Black Tidings, directly linked to Papa Massata Diack, Tsunekazu Takeda admits having approved the payments. But he completely denies the allegations of corruption.
Like the organizing committee for the 2020 Games, the IOC also still retains its confidence in it. Certainly, Tsunekazu Takeda was called in sick last month, for the meeting in Lausanne of the marketing commission of the Olympic institution, of which he chairs. At the same time, he held a 7-minute press conference, chrono in hand, in a building in Tokyo. But he retains his status as an IOC member and, with it, all of his prerogatives.
Christophe Dubi, the director of the Olympic Games at the IOC, was present last weekend in Tokyo. He also spoke, alongside Toshiro Muto, on the Takeda case. He did so cautiously.
« We acted firmly”, he assured, referring to the IOC's decision to become a civil party in the French justice investigation. “ We now need to have access to the elements, in their details, to make a decision. »
Christophe Dubi added: “ We are now waiting for the investigation to progress and a judgment to be rendered. At this time, we obviously cannot predict where the investigation will go.”.
Coincidence of the calendar: the French Minister of Sports, Roxana Maracineanu, was also present in Japan last week. His official visit was not directly related to the Takeda affair. She was motivated by the desire for rapprochement and cooperation between France and Japan in the run-up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the Tokyo 2020 Games. But the former swimmer could not avoid questions about the case.
Roxana Maracineanu assured that the question had not been raised by her interlocutors, but that she was ready to answer it. “ French justice has done its job, we have no business interfering." declared the minister to some French journalists present in Tokyo.
« It is good that French justice has brought this matter to light, continued Roxana Maracineanu, recalling that the investigation had started a long time ago. I am entirely attached to the role played by France, which is exemplary in terms of ethics, the fight against doping and corruption. »
Tsunekazu Takeda has not appeared in public since mid-January. However, he did not abandon any of his functions.
