PARIS – As preparations for the reorganized Tokyo Olympics move, Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, last month gave an interview to Nikkei in which he thought about kindergarten, what COVID brought -19 give us an awareness of sport and how it did it will cure a surrogate. Bach also spoke on “humane loyalty, unity, sustainability” and how these virtues will “spread from Japan to the whole world” this summer.
Edited excerpts from the interview follow.
Q: Do you have a message for the people of Japan and the world?
A: I extend my deepest condolences to all those who lost their lives or suffered in other ways from this pandemic. But I hope humanity has learned one lesson from the pandemic. The lesson is that we need more loyalty within society, and greater loyalty among societies, to deal effectively with the fundamental challenges of our time. In this regard, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is the most recognizable and meaningful demonstration of the closeness and peaceful unity of all mankind. Therefore, the postponement of the Olympic Games is very significant.
My message to the Japanese people is to be proud, to be confident and to be excited about this great opportunity to be a guest for the whole world and to be the place where the whole world gathers for the first time hour [amid or after] the coronavirus crisis. And this message of humanity’s loyalty, unity, stability, will spread from Japan, from you to the whole world. This is something that the people of Japan and the world will never forget. I’m always careful when I say something historical, but this [staging of the Olympics] will be historical.
There is no doubt that the Japanese people not only write Olympic history but also write world history with these Olympic Games.
Q: How has the coronavirus modified you and sports value?
A: The coronavirus did not change my commitment to sport. My interest in the value of sport has not changed. What has changed is the value of sport. It became apparent. More and more people have come to know exactly what sport means for physical and mental health. You only value something, and the true value of it, when you lose it. Before the virus, we were having fun [and the exercise they provide] voluntarily. Sporting events were also enjoyed. … You wouldn’t think about it, you’d like it.
But now that people can’t go anywhere, they will start to understand the relevance of sport in society. In Paris, during the first runway [last spring]exceptions included sports; you could go to move. This shows the relevance of sport in our society.
The Tokyo Olympics will not only prove the value of sport but will also be a highlight … a huge, global event. The games are the one thing that brings the whole world together at one time and in one place. We all miss events in our social life. You will see not only yourself coming together but all the 206 national athletes committees in one stadium. This will be amazing.
Q: Do you think it will work?
A: There is. I have always said that Tokyo is the best prepared city in Olympic history.
This was true with a year to go [to] Tokyo 2020, and it is true for Tokyo 2020 in 2021.
You see the commitment of the Prime Minister’s government [Yoshihide Suga]. You will see a community of Japanese athletes. You will see the preparation in the famous Japanese style that is much appreciated – extremely diligent, well prepared, forward looking, trying to deal with the different challenges even before they arise. The organizing committee is doing a commendable job.
On the other hand, we are all human, and the coronavirus is still here. For some people who don’t know if they can go to a restaurant tomorrow, or if they can go shopping, they think about it. If we don’t know [what we will be able to do tomorrow], how can we know if this big event will happen [six] months from now? But I’m sure this will change, as we get closer to the games.
Q: So tell us about your childhood.
A: I really enjoyed sports and I was a child who today would be considered hyperactive.
Young Thomas Bach
I was always on the move, whether he was playing football, whether he was riding my bike, whether he was swimming, or any kind of activity.
One day, my parents wanted to send me to kindergarten. The kindergarten was about three minutes away from our home.
The day I went to kindergarten, I was back home at noon and said I would never go there again. They asked why, and I said, “It’s too busy, you have to sit there and behave yourself and I won’t go there anymore.”
On the one hand, my parents had a clear mind about my education, but also, they saw that they had a child with a lot of confidence in themselves, so I didn’t have to go to kindergarten again.
Q: When you started fencing, how old were you? And why did you choose the sport?
A: I was about 6 and didn’t pick it.
My parents said at some point that my mood could not go on as it was, that I should have a coach, that I needed some guidance. They told me I wanted to get into club sports, which I thought would be great because I couldn’t think of any club but football, of course!
But my parents told me that my club sport was not going to be football. I replied that if it’s not football, they should forget about it, and I wouldn’t leave, like kindergarten.
Eventually, they suggested joining a fencing club as it would be a good general physical training. They said this would help my football skills as I would be in much better shape.
And so, I fell into the trap, and I said, Okay, let’s try.
I went and there I met a very young charismatic coach.
It didn’t take me long to start fencing for more than total physical training.
Thomas Bach wins gold medal in fencing (team foil) at the 1976 Montreal Games.
Q: You participated in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada.
A: There was another difficult experience before that. In 1972, the games were played in our country, in Munich, Germany. From a sports standpoint, I got certified. But the national federation at the time said no because they believed I was too young.
They took the seniors with them and did not name me for the inward games [my own] country.
Q: When you won the gold medal, what was your opinion?
A: I was feeling very, very tired. We didn’t go to Montreal to win gold, even though we wanted to win a medal.
But when you’re in the final, of course, you want to win the final, you want to win gold.
And then, once you have it, you have the first moment of happiness, but then, and this is not just for me because if you talk to a lot of Olympic champions, it ‘s all like the same, at this point, you will not understand what you have truly accomplished.
We just understood [we were gold medal winners] when we returned home.
At first, at the airport there were already many buses with fans and friends welcoming us.
That evening, in this small town of 10,000, we were greeted by 30,000 people. The army commander and fire brigade attacked us with torches. The whole town was illuminated. As I speak, it still gives me goosebumps.
Q: Tell us about your academic history. You studied law and politics at university, right?
A: I wanted to improve my English and [study] politics because then I could go into the German foreign service, or I could go into international journalism, or whatever, but then it was like kindergarten, I started studying English and that was not what I expected.
During this time, there was a party in my town related to fencing. The chairman of the local court was there and he came to me, asking what I was doing now. I told him about it [my disappointment], and said, “You would be a great lawyer; you should study the law.”
I said, “Law, this is even more boring. Probably more than English.”
He replied that I should try it because I had time anyway because the semester was not over yet and I was not going to my English lessons anymore. He told me to just go to the law faculty and just listen. He promised me that I would like it and that that law would open doors for all kinds of professionals.
I said, “Okay.” I got there, and I enjoyed it.
Q: Later you worked at Adidas, Siemens and elsewhere. Tell us about your experience.
A: Adidas had the experience of being closer to sports, and the CEO at the time was a complete sports fan.
You could have called at 4am in Germany and asked him about the outcome of a National Football League match in the US, and he would have told you. He had experience of sports and was very fond of athletes. This is also one of the reasons he hired me.
Siemens was a unique experience. It is present in about 190 countries, not as many [the 206] national Olympic committees, but very close.
There are a lot of experiences that I have accumulated before in my professional life. Especially for Middle Eastern countries because at one time, I was president of the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. So, I had a good knowledge of this department and good accessibility in this department. It was an inspiring experience with this truly global company.
Q: How did your experience as an athlete help you as an entrepreneur?
A: It will give you specific control and the knowledge you need to work for your success. Perhaps the most important lesson you learn from sports that will help you so much in your life is that it shouldn’t affect you to be arrogant and you shouldn’t be defeated.
Bach shares a laugh with German athletes in 2009.
Q: What is it like to be an IOC president?
A: Being president of the IOC is always challenging. We are a group with 206 national Olympic committees. There is always something going on in a part of the world. You will never have a situation where nothing happens.
Q: You are likely to be re-elected as president at the next IOC session, in March. Tell us what you plan to do when you retire.
A: I will have more time not only to have fun myself but a little more time to attend sporting events.
I will have more time to read, to satisfy my curiosity.
I will not do one thing. I will not bother my marker.