On Sept. 30, Fukuoka City announced that the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOC) has officially chosen Fukuoka as the site for its training camp ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. City Hall and the SOC will sign an agreement on Oct. 8, and according to City officials, Fukuoka is the first city in Japan to conclude an official pact on pre-Olympic training. About 150 athletes are expected to stay in the city. Members of the SOC visited Hakata this April to inspect its facilities. They seemed very positive about the possibility of choosing Fukuoka for Sweden’s training camp and praised the city for its full range of athletic facilities, excellent public transport and the proximity of the ocean to the city center. The Swedish national team also trained in Fukuoka ahead of the 2008 summer games in Beijing. City Hall hopes its hosting of the Swedish team will encourage citizens to play more sports and help raise the profile of the city abroad. The City also is also considering hosting national teams from other countries. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 10/2
