Stephen Wade

Associated Press reporter/sports writer. “News is what someone wants suppressed. Everything else is advertising.” — Katharine Graham [email protected]

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

June 4, 1989. Tiananmen. Don’t forget the date, and read all about it in Louisa Lim’s “The People’s Republic of Amnesia.”

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

The IOC has income of at least $7.7 billion in a 4-year cycle. It can afford to pay athletes. They are the show. It could also pay volunteers. Estimates suggest IOC saves up to $100 million in Summer Olympics using unpaid labor. Moral issue.

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

Tiananmen was a massacre on June 4, 37 years ago. Adding to shame is China hiding this from its people. The U.S. has nasty history, too; many massacres of native Americans, African Americans killed by militias in race riots. One difference — there for all to see.

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

IOC head Kirsty Coventry says the other day: “I don’t believe in paying athletes.” Why? Athletes are the show. IOC generates billions from athletes’ labor. Sponsors make money. So does TV, the IOC. Why not pay athletes directly? 70% go to only one Olympics. Their lone chance.

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

https://t.co/aJK2zNnqrQ

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

Shame on Tokyo. Shame on Mitsui Fudosan. This wanton assault on green space in Tokyo is a moral crime, pursued by real greedy estate interests and sanctioned by TMG. Ugly as it gets.

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

https://t.co/3SOvkODtW8

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

https://t.co/2UnoOI4WFy

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

Why you may see Japanese soccer fans cleaning up the stadium after World Cup games
https://t.co/XkljtTmWpL

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

Japan awakens to Radio Taiso exercise tradition. One face of the country's longevity
https://t.co/1TbL3TAIqk

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

https://t.co/CRcQm0ySQu

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

The Japanese media is compliant, under the thumb of special interests. In particular, construction and real estate developers, and influence of ad giant Dentsu. Most aggressive reporting by tabloid press.

[永遠の少年３ @eiennoshonen3]

アメリカのCNNが取り上げたのに
日本のメディアは取り上げないの？
#滅べ自民党
#高市やめろ

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

Homelessness in LA. Searing inequality. And now come the 2028 Olympics. Billions on taxpayers. Traffic nightmare. Ticket gouging. Olympics — as always. A few profit massively. Everyone else pays. Tokyo Paris, Rio the same. IOC — a sports biz — is a genius at fooling the public.

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

Big one felt in Tokyo. Side to side seating. Felt several minutes.

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

Pretty big earthquake felt now in tokyo

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

Insane. Blistering summer heat in Tokyo. Too much concrete already. Too few parks. Real estate developers like Mitsui Fudosan behind this carnage. Profit in skyscrapers. Not in trees. TMG and Governor Koike in lockstep with developers — not in public interest. So so clear.

[ロッシェル・カップ @JICRochelle]

「日本の樹木はなぜ切られるのか？」
@tokyo_ymasuda との対談動画がアップされました。
「アメリカをはじめ他の国々では、樹木の価値をきちんと認識し共生する努力をしているのに、日本では、あまりにも樹木が軽視されすぎていないか？」というテーマについては対談しました。https://t.co/1fEsjp1vmG

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

https://t.co/JKmOlAbu2i

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

I recall studying Chinese with Vicenç way back in Beijing. He actually learned. Good to see his take.

[Cafè d'idees @cafedidees_rtve]

☕ Vicenç Sanclemente explica com la Xina pot haver impulsat el Pakistan a arribar a l'acord d'alto el foc entre els EUA i l'Iran | @VSanclmnt

📲 https://t.co/MrTxQlnBeM

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

Carlos Nuzman headed the 2016 Rio Olympics. Convicted 4 1/2 years ago of buying votes for Rio to host Games. Was sentenced to 30 years in jail. IOC says case still on appeal, so he remains provisionally suspended as honorary IOC member. Rio a great city. Olympic legacy abysmal.

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

Rio Games were to help clean Guanabara Bay. Didn’t happen. Organizers went bankrupt — needed govt bailout. Nuzman a convicted criminal. The rail extension at least 25% over budget, fallout from IOC deadlines. Perspective: IOC is private biz but lives off billions in public money.

[Christian Klaue @ChKlaue]

Steve, let’s put things into perspective:

▪️ USD 8bn were for urban infrastructure, 40% privately funded, including: 1 new metro line, 2 new BRT lines, 1 new light rail line, renewed train stations, new road works, total regeneration of the port region, 1 new urban park, new WADA-accredited anti-doping lab, anti-flooding reservoirs, various environmental and sanitation projects. Benefiting the people until today.

▪️ USD 2bn+ for Games venues, 60% privately funded: Olympic Park, Deodoro Park - all being used per our story. Benefiting the people until today.

▪️ USD 2.8bn the OCOG budget, almost entirely privately funded.

As far as Carlos Nuzman is concerned, you are surely aware that he is provisionally suspended from the IOC. When issues like those come up, we address them.

The legacy as described above still remains.