The message was absent of any controversy - such as the doping and corruption scandals which continue to linger ominously over the Olympic Movement, and the furore over the late decision to move the marathons and race walks from Tokyo to Sapporo - while mentions of Agenda 2020, reforms and the IOC’s supposed success were plentiful.

A reference to podium protests from athletes marked a brief venture into the difficult subjects he is often keen to avoid but the rest was to be expected - on message and full of PR spin.

Not to attach too much significance to a solitary message from the IOC President, but it exhibited almost perfectly some of the reasons why Bach and his organisation receives considerable criticism.

Its lack of balance and contrition was symptomatic of both the IOC’s refusal to accept it does not always get things right, and of the manner in which officials in the sporting world debate and address crucial topics.

Throughout 2019, the IOC continued with its disingenuous soundbite that its Athletes’ Commission is the only legitimate voice of competitors because it is “democratically-elected”, ignoring the fact that several of its members are directly appointed by the administration to reflect gender balance and universality.

This frustrating trend, I hasten to add, is not limited to the IOC. The Global Athlete pressure group is equally guilty with its claims that it speaks for athletes globally when clearly it does not.

The Russian doping saga has shown there are a vast spectrum of opinions from athletes across the board, and there is not necessarily unanimous agreement on every point.

The “athlete voice”, as it is now known, does not necessarily have to be unified. Genuine debate, discussion and even disagreement should be considered healthy in any organisation, be it a major company or a group of athletes pursuing a greater say in the decision-making process in sport.

Bach’s message was also more than a tad ironic when it mentioned the IOC’s opposition to what he called the "growing politicisation" of sport, a subject my colleague Nancy Gillen delved into extensively earlier this month.

Few would argue the IOC never makes decisions for political reasons - would the stance on Russia been different had the state-sponsored doping scandal not been orchestrated by one of the world’s superpowers? - and even Bach himself has admitted sport and politics do mix.

A lack of balance is also displayed when Bach talks about the "success" of the Olympic Channel, which even some of the more ardent IOC loyalists believe is not justifying its investment.

More generally, Agenda 2020 - referenced no fewer than five times in the message - has not been the roaring success Bach claims it to be.

The full recommendations mention increasing transparency, for example, yet observers far more experienced and wise than I point to how this has actually worsened under the current administration. Journalists covering IOC meetings have experienced this more than most as we are often kept from even having a polite conversation with members.

It is also worth mentioning here that the IOC does not always get things wrong and initiatives such as the Olympic refugee team - the second manifestation of which will come at Tokyo 2020 - and a reanalysis programme of doping samples, which has caught vast swathes of athletes who would otherwise have escaped punishment, are to be commended.

Here's hoping there is more balance and contrition from the Olympic Movement in 2020.

What else aside from Tokyo 2020 to look out for this year

While Tokyo 2020 will undoubtedly be the focus of this year, there are several other key events and meetings set for the upcoming 12 months.

Next week, the IOC Session meets before the start of the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, which conclude on January 22.

In March, the Tokyo 2020 Lighting Ceremony takes place in Greece and the World Anti-Doping Agency will hold its annual symposium, one which will almost certainly be dominated by the protracted Russian doping scandal.

Beijing, the next host of the main Winter Games, stages the annual SportAccord World Sport and Business Summit in April, an event which often attracts the high and mighty from the Olympic world.

World Championships in winter disciplines headline the early part of the calendar before attention switches to the pan-continental UEFA European Championship in June and July.

The second Session of the year will be held on the eve of the start of the Olympic Games in the Japanese capital, before the Paralympics follow in August and September.

In November, it will be the turn of the Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly in Seoul and the Asian Beach Games in Sanya.