AISTS ALUMNI BRING TOGETHER SWISS OLYMPICS AND TSUKUBA FOR TOKYO 2020

AISTS ALUMNI BRING TOGETHER SWISS OLYMPICS AND TSUKUBA FOR TOKYO 2020

The AISTS welcomed Swiss Olympics and a delegation of Japanese representatives last week to the Synathlon in an official signing ceremony. 

On Wednesday the 11th of April an official signing ceremony occurred to seal an agreement between Swiss Olympic and the Tsukuba city and the University of Tsukuba for the usage of the university and cities facilities for the Swiss Olympic team in preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

This agreement was initiated by the AISTS, connecting the organisations together in relation to the next summer Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020.  Geert Hendriks, class of 2012 and currently Head of Projects for the AISTS introduced Ralph Stöckli, Swiss Olympic Chef de Mission and class of 2007 and Olympian, and Takuya Tsukamoto from the class of 2013 who connected and developed the idea together.

Ralph visited TIAS late in 2016 while the AISTS was presenting its 5th joint seminar with TIAS, within the context of the ‘Sport for Tomorrow’ programme.  It was from this visit that the Swiss Olympic Association opened discussions with Tsukuba city and the University of Tsukuba for the usage of the facilities of the university and the city by the Swiss team during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The official signing ceremony took place at the new home of the AISTS, the Synathlon in Lausanne, Switzerland and was attended by Tsukuba city major, Dr Tatsuo Igarashi, University of Tsukuba President, Dr Kyosuke Nagata, Ibaraki Prefecture Governor, Mr Kazuhiko Oigawa and Swiss Olympic Association Chef de Mission, Mr Ralph Stöckli.  Mr Peter Haas, High-Performance Sports Director Swiss Athletics and Ms Susanne Böhlen, Head of Swiss Olympic Team Support attended as well as other Japanese delegates, TIAS and AISTS delegates. 

Professor François Bussy, AISTS President and Vice Rector of Research and International Relations of the University of Lausanne opened the ceremony, along with Claude Stricker, AISTS Executive Director.  The signing ceremony was then followed by a visit to the Olympic Museum and The Olympic Studies Centre and then on to the International Olympic Committee Headquarters for a meeting with President Thomas Bach and IOC Head of Legacy, Ms Tania Braga. 

AISTS is very proud to be involved in bringing these two organisations together, particularly through our strong alumni community.  AISTS will next be in Tokyo at the University of Tsukuba for our 8th seminar delivery to the Tsukuba International Academy for Sport Studies (TIAS) programme in June. 

If you would like to know more about this visit or our seminars in Tokyo please contact Mr Geert Hendriks – geert.hendriks@aists.org