Sapporo move confirmed for marathon and race walk at Tokyo 2020 Olympics
TOKYO: Tokyo has eventually accepted the International Olympic Committee’s decision to move the marathon and race-walking events of the 2020 Games to Sapporo from the Japanese capital, Xinhua news agency reported.
The IOC announced last month that the marathon would be moved to the northern Japanese city of Sapporo due to concerns over Tokyo’s summer heat.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has been a strong critic of the move and described the IOC decision as “unprecedented” earlier this week.
On the final day of the IOC coordination commission visit led by John Coates, a four-party working group meeting took place Friday, during which the next steps in moving the marathon and race walk events to Sapporo were discussed.
“Though we still do not agree we will not obstruct the decision made by the IOC, which has the authority to have the final say,” Koike said, speaking through an interpreter after the talks with the IOC.
Cotes welcomed Koike’s statement as well as assent from the 2020 organisers.
The four-party working group also agreed that Tokyo will not bear the costs for the venue change and the IOC will not move any other events out of Tokyo, Coates said.
Meanwhile, the IOC Coordination Commission members also discussed several key topics during the three-day meeting, including transport, operational readiness and legacy.
Tokyo 2020 has achieved a succession of important milestones over the last several months, including the unveiling of the spectacular Ariake Gymnastics Centre.
With its opening, only three venues remain to be completed, all of which are more than 85 per cent finished. This includes the Olympic Stadium, which received glowing praise after the IOC Coordination Commission members toured the facility during their visit.
— BERNAMA
