This archive report was first published on 17 October 2019.
Published on October 17, 2019, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced plans to move the 2020 marathon and race walking sports to northern Japan due to heat fears.
The decision comes after recent test events did little to cool fears, with a French triathlete treated for heatstroke and several spectators taken ill at a rowing trial.
According to John Coates, chairman of the IOC's Coordination Commission, the move is necessary to ensure athletes can perform at their best. "We want the athletes to have every opportunity to perform at their best. We now know that that's not possible in that heat (in Tokyo)," he said.
Local officials in both Tokyo and Hokkaido have expressed surprise at the decision, but have broadly welcomed the move. Sapporo mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto said he was "honoured" by the decision, while Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike said she would be seeking more information.
The 1964 Tokyo Olympics were held in October to avoid the heat of the summer, and the issue has quickly become a major headache for organisers. Last summer, nearly 93,000 people sought emergency care for heatstroke across Japan, with 159 dying.
