Tokyo airs woes over losing effort

TOKYO: Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara blamed his city's failure to win the right to host the 2016 Games on behind-the-scenes deals, saying Japanese sports officials must become more adept in dealing with the inner workings of the International Olympic Committee.

"Tokyo's presentation was far better than the others," Ishihara said at a press conference yesterday. "But invisible dynamics were at play. It is a game that is very difficult to win."

Ishihara said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made "daring promises" to African people and that French President Nicolas Sarkozy promised to support Rio's bid if Brazil bought French-made fighter jets.