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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - Reaction to the IOC's decision to pick Tokyo as the host city of the 2020 Olympics.
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"When I heard the word `Tokyo' announced I got really emotional and I was so touched, overwhelmed. The joy was greater than when I was elected in my own election. Definitely this was more emotional than even winning myself. I am certain the IOC has given a great opportunity to Japan and we will begin working on it immediately." _ Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
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"I think Tokyo prevailed definitely on the excellent quality of its bid, but the experience of the previous bid also played a valuable role. You have described yourselves as being a safe pair of hands. As a surgeon, this is something that appeals to me even though I didn't vote myself." _ IOC President Jacques Rogge.
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"I'm sorry that we will not be able to share the enthusiasm that we had. Like in sports, this can only give us more motivation to get back on our feet and continue on our path. A project of this size has mobilized and united Spaniards. It's an inheritance that we have to keep strong." _ Spain's Crown Prince Felipe.
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"This one was hard for us. I was disappointed because we felt that we are in a good position. All the country was very involved on the Olympic Movement. So when I heard that happened (it) was surprise for me, especially being disqualified in the first round." _ Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal.
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"We are of course extremely disappointed not to have been selected but we are grateful to the IOC for giving us this opportunity to bid for the games. It has been a fantastic learning experience for Turkey and our commitment to the Olympic Movement is as strong as it has ever been. We will remain the loyal partner and passionate supporter we have been for over 100 years." _ Istanbul bid leader Hasan Arat.
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"It was once more a decision between two principles. There you have one candidature addressing more the sense of tradition and stability and another candidature addresses the longing for new shores. This we have seen in the past also with different bids and this time the IOC members, in a fragile world, have decided in favor of tradition and stability." _ IOC vice president Thomas Bach.
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"First of all, I must commend all three of the bidding cities for their exceptional campaigns and presentations. The race to host the 2020 Games was closely contested from start to finish with all three cities demonstrating excellence and sophistication when it comes to delivering world class bids. My heart goes out to Istanbul and Madrid and their many supporters who worked tirelessly throughout the bid process." _ IOC vice president Ng Ser Miang.
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"Since they became candidates, they all acquired reasonably serious problems. When you looked back at their presentations, especially Tokyo, I thought the princess was magnificent, just magnificent, and quite different from anybody else Japan had put in the field, so that was factor one. And factor two was the answer the prime minister gave on Fukushima." _ Canadian IOC member Dick Pound.
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"I think they learned their lesson from the first time they bid and I think they performed very well today. I think Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe gave all the right answers to the questions, like on Fukushima, so I think it was very good for Tokyo. I think Fukushima was an issue, but I think Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe had a very good answer and we were satisfied with the answer." _ IOC member Prince Tunku Imran of Malaysia.
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"I thought that the presentation that surprised me today was Tokyo. I thought they've really raised their game. They've become humorous and very much more full of emotion. I felt also that the whole of the presentation was about sports, and that the things that surround sports and I thought that was done very well indeed. There was emotion." _ Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee.
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"I thought it was fabulous across the board. All three cities could have run the Olympic Games. This is the most wonderful choice the IOC has, to have cities of that caliber bidding. I think that is great."_ IOC vice president Craig Reedie.
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"There are a lot of commercial advantages for the IOC going to a country with the third-biggest GDP. And then compare that to the economic uncertainty facing Spain and the political unrest that Istanbul experienced a few months ago. And more particularly the unrest in the Middle East at the moment. We've taken the safe bet." _ Australian IOC member John Coates.
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"I always look at what will be provided for the athletes first, and I was confident that in each case the athletes would all be taken care. Tokyo and the people of Japan have a lot on the line. They've been through a lot together with the tsunami and the nuclear reactor. It's a frightening thing. So they came together as a people." _ U.S. IOC member Anita DeFrantz.
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"My colleagues and I look forward to working closely together with our friends in Tokyo to share our experience of preparing for and hosting the Games in 2016, just as London has done for us. We know from our experience how much effort and dedication goes in to bidding for the games and we applaud Madrid and Istanbul on their excellent campaigns."_ Brazilian IOC member Carlos Nuzman.
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"Tokyo is one of the world's most fascinating cities, and will provide a spectacular setting for the 2020 Olympic Games. Tokyo is particularly special to NBC as our rich Olympic heritage began there with the 1964 Olympic Games. We are excited to return in 2020, 56 years later, to broadcast what will be our 17th Olympic Games overall and 11th consecutive, and to bring the stories and performances of the world's greatest athletes home to American viewers." _ Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBC Sports Group.
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