Tokyo to Host 2020 Summer Olympic Games
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Photo by Fabrice Coffrini /Pool/Getty Image(BUENOS AIRES, Argentina) — The three cities vying for the 2020 Olympics made their final pitches on Saturday to the International Olympic Committee in Argentina, but after two rounds of voting, the Summer Games will be heading to Tokyo.
Istanbul and Madrid were also in the running for the 2020 Summer Games. In the day’s first vote, Madrid was eliminated leaving Istanbul and Tokyo as the finalists.
Each city had obstacles to overcome in order to be awarded the Summer Games. Tokyo won the bid despite the fact that the nation is still cleaning up after the Fukushima nuclear plant explosion.
Istanbul had been the site of numerous protests in recent weeks related to the Syria crisis, and was vying to be the first primarily Muslim nation to host the Olympic Games. Madrid, meanwhile, is still in the midst of an incredibly damaging recession.
Delegation from each of the three cities made final presentations on Saturday, with Japan’s President Shizo Abe, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Spain’s Prince Felipe all in attendance.
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