「最適」の人選　橋本新会長誕生にＩＯＣ―東京五輪

　【ロンドン時事】東京五輪・パラリンピック組織委員会の新会長に橋本聖子氏が就任したことを受け、国際オリンピック委員会（ＩＯＣ）と国際パラリンピック委員会（ＩＰＣ）は１８日、ともに歓迎する声明を出した。
　ＩＯＣのバッハ会長は、橋本氏が夏季、冬季の五輪に計７度出場してメダルを獲得し、五輪の選手団長も務めた経験を踏まえ、「会長職に最適だ」と述べた。さらに、「女性を会長に任命することでジェンダー平等の観点から、組織委は非常に重要なシグナルを送ることになる」と評価した。
　ＩＰＣのパーソンズ会長は「男女共同参画や女性活躍の担当大臣を務めた橋本氏が、ジェンダーだけでなくセクシャリティー、人種、そして障害を持つ人々の多様性を促進させるため、東京大会を基盤として用いることを楽しみにしている」と期待を寄せた。（2021/02/18-20:20）

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Thursday hailed Seiko Hashimoto, who became new president of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee.
   "With her great Olympic experience," Hashimoto is "the perfect choice for this position," Bach said in a statement. Hashimoto replaced Yoshiro Mori, who quit as president of the organizing committee over his recent sexist remarks.
   Hashimoto competed in four Winter Olympics as a speed skater and three Summer Olympics as a cyclist. She won a bronze medal for women's 1,500-meter speed skating in the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, France.
   With the appointment of a woman as president, the Tokyo Games organizing committee "is also sending a very important signal with regard to gender equality," Bach said.
   International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons also showed his expectations for Hashimoto, in a separate statement released on the day. "I look forward to her to using the games as a platform to advance the diversity and inclusion agenda, not just in terms of gender, but sexuality, race and, importantly, persons with disabilities," Parsons said.