(ATR) IOC President Thomas Bach insists the Olympics are above politics.
In an interview with Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, Bach calls the developments between North and South Korea that have resulted from the Olympics "amazing".
"I think this is a major step, because only when you sit together, then you can come to solutions. I think we can say that with the initiatives that the IOC took, we have opened the door for this. It is our mission to make the world a better place through sports, and we can say so far, mission accomplished, byopening this window of opportunity for the political world," Bach tells the newspaper.
Bach says the developments would not have taken place without the political neutrality followed by the IOC .
In other comments, the IOC president defends the actions that have been taken involving Russian participation at the Olympics.
Regarding Tokyo 2020, the IOC chief says he expects substantial legacy from the Olympics in two years, not necessarily physical.
To read the interview conducted by Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Writer Wakako Yuki, click here.
Reported by Ed Hula.
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