This archive report was first published on 1 November 2019.
Published on November 1, 2019, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced plans to move the 2020 Olympic marathon and race-walking events from Tokyo to northern Japan due to heat concerns.
The decision was made after Tokyo's governor, Yuriko Koike, offered her reluctant support. Initially, Koike had expressed opposition to the plan, but she eventually agreed to not obstruct the IOC's decision.
"We cannot agree with the IOC but we will not obstruct the decision made by the IOC, which has the final decision-making authority," Koike said at a meeting with Olympic officials and organisers.
John Coates, head of the IOC's coordination commission, welcomed Koike's statement and the assent from Japan's Olympic minister and the 2020 organisers.
"I think then it's clear we do have an acceptance of this proposal," Coates said. "These are going to be outstanding, outstanding, successful Games."
The IOC cited concerns about the hot and humid conditions of the Tokyo summer, which could pose a risk to the health of athletes. The decision was triggered by the world athletics championships in Doha, where dozens of competitors received medical attention in similar conditions.
The marathon and race-walking start times had already been moved up to counter concerns about the heat, but the IOC deemed this insufficient. Coates said solutions other than moving the events were impractical, with transportation and filming in the dark among the obstacles to racing in the early hours.
The move will entail logistical challenges, and Coates said he expected to talk with the International Association of Athletics Federations and Hokkaido officials to discuss issues including the route of the events.
The costs involved with the move remain unclear, though Tokyo officials have suggested they could be in the order of $300 million. Various proposals have been suggested as a consolation prize for Tokyo, including hosting a post-Games "celebratory marathon" using the original planned route.
