Tokyo 2020 Organizers Will Move Event Start Times To Avoid Heat

Organizers of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games said Wednesday that they "intend to change the start times of some athletics, cycling and rugby events in an effort to reduce the risk posed by extreme heat," according to Sam Green of KYODO. Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori also revealed that the organizing committee will continue to plan for a boxing tournament, "despite the threat of the sport's exclusion" from the Games. The risk posed to athletes, spectators and workers by extreme heat has "become a major issue" after a July heatwave saw a record high temperature of 41.1C (106F) near Tokyo and caused 96 deaths in the capital. The Japan Medical Association and the Tokyo Medical Association called for schedule changes, "warning organizers of possible heat-related deaths." Mori said that the start times of the marathon and 20km race walk events will be moved forward by one hour to 6am, subject to the "expected approval" of the IAAF (KYODO, 12/5).