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Olympic panel mulls high-tech hydrogen torch, pares soccer venues

Kyodo

 
  • Feb 26, 2017
 
 

The Organizing Committee of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is considering using a hydrogen fuel relay torch to light the Olympic flame, according to committee officials.

The organizers, who hope to use the games as an opportunity to showcase Japanese technology, said the government has expressed support for the idea. The torch will be carried by runners and used to ignite the cauldron at the opening ceremony.

“An important theme of the Olympics is how to promote environmental sustainability. We will talk to experts and see how realistic it is in terms of technological development,” a committee member said.

One official said there are still safety and cost concerns, and asserted that there also was a need for a lightweight torch that can be easily carried.

In March 2016, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced a project to have the 6,000-unit athletes’ village for the games run entirely on hydrogen power.

Meanwhile, organizers have decided to reduce the number of additional soccer venues under consideration to one from three, sources said.

Kashima Stadium in Ibaraki Prefecture has emerged as the leading candidate after the Japan Football Association backed it along with Toyota Stadium in Aichi and Suita Stadium in Osaka for addition to the six venues previously approved.

Organizers want to add just one of the three as part of an ongoing cost-cutting drive, with Kashima seen as the best option due to its location in an area damaged by the March 2011 mega-quake and tsunami.

Tokyo’s National Stadium, Sapporo Dome, Miyagi Stadium, Saitama Stadium, Ajinomoto Stadium (Tokyo) and Nissan Stadium (Yokohama) are the six venues slated for use in 2020 so far.

The JFA proposed the extra venues to alleviate potential scheduling issues, but organizers questioned whether three were actually necessary, given the costs involved.

Organizers are expected to ask the JFA and soccer’s world governing body FIFA to work out which venues would be most suitable, although they will also need a seal of approval from the International Olympic Committee.

 

Kyodo

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/02/26/national/olympic-panel-mulls-high-tech-hydrogen-torch-pares-soccer-venues/#.WLK6w3-P8kt

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20 hours ago, gotosy said:

Olympic panel mulls high-tech hydrogen torch, pares soccer venues

Kyodo

 
  • Feb 26, 2017
 
 

The Organizing Committee of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is considering using a hydrogen fuel relay torch to light the Olympic flame, according to committee officials.

The organizers, who hope to use the games as an opportunity to showcase Japanese technology, said the government has expressed support for the idea. The torch will be carried by runners and used to ignite the cauldron at the opening ceremony.

“An important theme of the Olympics is how to promote environmental sustainability. We will talk to experts and see how realistic it is in terms of technological development,” a committee member said.

One official said there are still safety and cost concerns, and asserted that there also was a need for a lightweight torch that can be easily carried.

 

Kyodo

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/02/26/national/olympic-panel-mulls-high-tech-hydrogen-torch-pares-soccer-venues/#.WLK6w3-P8kt

 

Yeeowch!

Hydrogen in fuel cells is one thing; controlling an open hydrogen flame is entirely another.

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Olympics: Coates expects 2020 golf venue issue to be solved by June

TOKYO, March 2, Kyodo

International Olympic Committee Vice President John Coates expressed hope Thursday that the issue over the current men-only membership rule of the golf club scheduled as a competition venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be resolved by the end of June.

Coates, who chairs the IOC Coordination Commission for the Tokyo Olympics, also suggested the possibility of allowing the torch relay for the 2020 Games to last longer than 100 days, despite an IOC rule on the maximum duration.

"My understanding is as recent as this week there have been more discussions with the club that is heading in the right direction for them to have a nondiscriminatory membership procedure, bylaw of their club," he said of Kasumigaseki Country Club, located north of Tokyo.

"It would appear that we should be able to have this resolved by the end of June," Coates said, while emphasizing that the Olympic principle is based on nondiscrimination.

The club in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, currently prohibits women from becoming full members or playing on Sundays.

As for the torch relay, for which organizers recently launched a panel to discuss details of the event that leads up to the Olympic Games, Coates said planning has just begun and he has not yet received a proposal for it.

"If the proposal involves more than 100 days -- I don't know that there's a rule that says it's a hundred days -- and even if there was, because of the special circumstances here, we would look at that," he said.

Yoshiro Mori, president of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee, has said the torch relay will go through all of Japan's 47 prefectures, preferentially in areas affected by recent major disasters.

Such regions include northeastern areas affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster and Kumamoto in southwestern Japan that was hit by powerful quakes in April last year.

Coates and some other IOC representatives were in Tokyo for the two-day sixth project review meeting through Thursday with the 2020 Olympic organizing committee to discuss preparations in various areas, including Olympic village planning, test events and sustainability.

Although there is no official Olympic park planned for the 2020 Summer Games, organizers presented to IOC members a concept of considering the Tokyo Bay waterfront area around Odaiba as the de facto park for celebrations and festivities.

Coates said the zone has "a lot of potential" to serve such purpose, seeing that it will host skateboarding and sport climbing competitions and that it is easily accessible to other venues, including those for gymnastics, volleyball and tennis.

But he said that is a decision for the Tokyo metropolitan government to make.

"We leave here happy with the progress that's been made since we were last here," Coates said, while noting that the next Coordination Commission meeting is set to take place in Tokyo at the end of June

Kyodo

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2017/03/461509.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

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Olympic minister applauds Tokyo golf venue’s decision to allow full membership to women

 

Olympic minister Tamayo Marukawa on Tuesday welcomed the decision Monday by the embattled golf venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to allow women to become full members.

Still, she said she also intends to find out how the golf club was selected.

“I understand that the decision was based on recent global trends,” Marukawa said in a news conference. “With this decision, the International Olympic Committee’s concern over gender inequality has been erased.”

The decision was made at an extraordinary meeting of Kasumigaseki Country Club’s executive board held in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, following calls by the IOC to ensure nondiscriminatory regulations.

The private golf club, set to host the men’s and women’s golf competitions, had come under fire for its policy of not allowing women to become full members or to play on Sundays after Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike raised the issue in January.

Marukawa said she will seek full transparency of the venue selection process.

“It may take a little time, but I’d like for all the facts to be brought to light,” she said, hinting that her ministry will to look into whether the process was open and aboveboard.

Separately, Koike also expressed her pleasure with the club’s decision.

“I’m very glad to see a traditional golf club hold repeated discussions and change its rules,” Koike told reporters at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. “I believe this decision reflects the club’s views of placing more importance on women’s rights.”

The club’s board met Feb. 7 to discuss the matter and then held three meetings with full members to explain the situation and hear their views.

After hearing various arguments from the 90-year-old facility’s nearly 1,200 members, its board moved to accept the request from the IOC and other related parties.

Elite golf courses around the world, including the Augusta National Golf Club in the United States where the Masters Tournament is held and Scotland’s Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, which is widely regarded as the “Home of Golf,” have also opened their membership to women in recent years.

“We decided to open the path for women, taking into consideration the trends of the world and thinking about the future regardless of the Olympics,” said the club’s general manager Hiroshi Imaizumi.

The club, which has more than 200 female members, changed the regulation in question to say that full membership will be granted to “a person who has reached a certain age” from the earlier version that said “a man who has reached a certain age.”

IOC Vice President John Coates, who chairs the IOC’s coordination commission overseeing preparations for the Tokyo Games, welcomed the club’s decision to “change its membership regulations in favor of full gender equality.”

“We can now look forward to a great Olympic golf tournament at Kasumigaseki Country Club at Tokyo 2020. As we have said all along, gender equality is a fundamental principle of the Olympic movement and an important part of Olympic Agenda 2020, and we believe this decision now reflects this,” he said.

Yoshiro Mori, president of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee, said he is pleased with the move that keeps with the spirit of the Olympic charter.

“I’d like to extend my gratitude to the members of the club for their understanding and cooperation,” Mori said in a statement. “I also would like to express my admiration for the club’s endeavor to come to an agreement in such a short period of time.”

The 2020 organizing committee, the Japanese Olympic Committee and the Japan Golf Association said in a joint statement that they will continue to work toward delivering a successful competition in three years’ time.

 

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/03/21/national/2020-olympics-golf-venue-allow-full-membership-women/#.WNEszKLavIU

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International Federations reveal new events proposed for Tokyo 2020

 

High diving, mixed synchronised swimming, basketball 3x3 and BMX freestyle are among at least 25 extra events and disciplines spanning around 15 sports proposed for inclusion at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

This total does not count those which have been added as a direct replacement for others in the same sport.

It does, however, count five mixed team events which would include no or very few additional athletes.

It also does not include the five additional sports added to the programme just for the 2020 Games last year: baseball and softball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing.

Of those who responded when questioned by insidethegames, archery, aquatics, basketball, boxing, judo, modern pentathlon, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon and weightlifting have all proposed new events or disciplines.

Canoeing, rowing and shooting have also proposed new events to replace old ones in order to ensure full or greater gender equality on their respective programmes.

Cycling have not officially confirmed their plans, but insidethegames understands that in addition to male and female BMX freestyle park events, men's and women's madison competitions have been proposed to be added to the track programme.

If approved, this would mark the debut of the women's madison and the return of the men's event after it was dropped following Beijing 2008.

Athletics have been given until after their Council meeting in London on April 12 and 13 to finalise their application.

It comes after 60 leading racewalkers sent a petition to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) protesting against the rumoured axing of the men's 50 kilometres event.

The International Swimming Federation (FINA) have proposed the most radical changes.

This includes the addition of high diving as an "extreme sport" in which men will dive from a 27 metres platform and women from 20m.

A mixed duet synchronised event consisting of 12 teams is another innovative proposal.

If confirmed, this would mark the first time male synchronised swimmers have ever competed at the Olympics.

The submitted swimming programme would be the same as for the FINA World Championships.

As well as the 32 existing Olympic events, this would include 50m breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly events for men and women.

Women will also race over 1,500m while men would compete over 800m.

A 4x100m freestyle and a 4x100m medley mixed relay has also been submitted.

Twelve rather than eight teams would compete in male and female water polo competitions, although a cutting of team sizes from 13 to 11 would mean only four additional athletes would be needed.

It is also hoped that an extra 24 divers and 20 open water swimmers will feature.

Of the new disciplines proposed, basketball 3x3 appears the most likely to be successful.

Two 16-team competitions consisting of 48 male and 48 female athletes have been submitted.

Archery have proposed a two-person mixed team event consisting purely of athletes already on the programme.

Mixed relay events have also been proposed in modern pentathlon and triathlon.

Canoeing have proposed the women's C1 slalom event to replace the men's C2.

The C1 women's 200m and C2 500m will replace the C1 men's 200 and K2 men's 200m.

In order to give sprinters in the latter events an alternative, the men's K4 500 will replace the K4 1,000m.

A mixed team competition has been proposed in judo.

Men are expected to compete at under-73, under-90 and over-90 kilograms.

Female bouts will be held at under-57, under-70 and over 70kg

Taekwondo have also proposed a mixed team event.

The format would likely consist of five athletes - something which would require at least one additional participant per team due to the current maximum of two men and two women participating across individual events.

Finer details have not yet been finalised, however.

Two new female weight categories have been proposed in boxing.

Exact divisions have not yet been announced, but there is no proposal to drop any male event.

It is thought that the numbers of boxers competing in each individual division will instead be cut in order to avoid a cumulative rise.

Three new mixed team competitions have been proposed in shooting to replace three individual events.

These will be in 10m air rifle, 10m air pistol and trap events.

The men's 50m rifle prone, 50m pistol and double trap would all be dropped from the programme.

Table tennis have proposed men's and women's doubles and mixed doubles events.

They did not respond when insidethegames asked if this would be as well as or instead of the existing team events.

Weightlifting hope to add an eighth women's category to ensure full gender equality.

New events for under and over-90kg would replace the existing over-75kg category.

No additional quotas would be required for additional athletes, however, meaning numbers in other divisions would be trimmed.

Badminton, equestrian, handball, hockey, sailing, tennis, volleyball and wrestling have all confirmed that they are not proposing any new events.

Some of these, such as wrestling, are currently considering changes to "improve the format" of the existing events.

Gymnastics have refused to reveal if they have applied.

"Regarding Tokyo 2020 or possible new events or disciplines, the International Gymnastics Federation has nothing to add to what we have published so far," a spokesperson said.

Fencing are expected to continue their usual rotation system in which only four of the six team events will be present.

If they continue their normal system, the two missing out in Tokyo will be the men's foil and women's épée.

This is expected to be announced "during the summer".

The International Golf Federation have "nothing to report at this stage" but have given no indication of interest.

Football governing body FIFA has not yet sent a response. 

Under their Agenda 2020 reform process, the IOC aim to avoid having more than 310 events on the Olympic programme.

There were 306 events featuring at Rio 2016.

The five new sports added for Tokyo 2020 do not count in this total.

New events and disciplines within existing sports are now due to be considered by the IOC Olympic Programme Commission before final decisions are made during an Executive Board meeting scheduled for July in Lausanne.

http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1048976/exclusive-international-federations-reveal-new-events-proposed-for-tokyo-2020

 

 

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Host City Contract 2020 Goes Public

The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) today released the Host City Contract for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad (Host City Contract 2020).

This contract was first signed between the IOC, the TMG and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), following Tokyo's selection as the Host City of the Games on 7 September 2013. Upon the creation of Tokyo 2020 in 2014, Tokyo 2020 signed a Joinder Agreement to become a full party to the Host City Contract 2020.

In line with the Olympic Agenda 2020 framework, which reflects the positive evolution of providing Organising Committees of the Olympic Games (OCOG) and host cities more flexibility, all of the Host City Contract 2020 signatories worked to incorporate, to their benefit, the updated operational requirements that were published by the IOC in 2015. With this agreement now finalised to the benefit of all stakeholders, the organisations are publishing the Host City Contract, reinforcing their commitment to transparency.

The following documents are available for download at https://tokyo2020.jp/en/games/plan/#hcc

...

https://tokyo2020.jp/en/news/notice/20170509-01.html


 

 

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Tokyo organizers reach agreement on allocation of 2020 costs

 

TOKYO (AP) — Organizers of the Tokyo Olympics reached a broad agreement Wednesday on the allocation of costs for the 2020 Games with the metropolitan, national and local governments of the seven prefectures and four other cities hosting events.

Governments outside Tokyo that are to host competitions agreed on basic principles concerning cost sharing.

Yoshiro Mori, the head of the organizing committee, said the agreement was a step forward.

“I think our preparation has been at least one year behind,” Mori said. “We want to speed up the process now so that we can catch up.”

The seven prefectures hosting events are Hokkaido, Miyagi, Fukushima, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa and Shizuoka. The four other cities are Sapporo, Saitama, Chiba and Yokohama.

Representatives from seven prefectures expressed satisfaction that the organizing committee and Tokyo Metropolitan Government will pay for expenditures to build temporary facilities for venues outside the capital.

Local governments had previously objected to the idea that they would have to shoulder part of the costs to build temporary facilities.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said the broad agreement was “a big step forward” that would allow stakeholders to accelerate preparations toward staging a successful Olympics in 2020.

“With the games coming up in three years, we have to rush our preparation,” Koike said.

All the parties additionally agreed to set up a management committee for collaborative projects which aims to further reduce costs. The committee will regularly review the specific tasks related to games preparation and operation.

Organizers announced in December a rough estimate for the total cost of hosting the games of between 1.6 and 1.8 trillion yen ($13-$15 billion).

 

http://www.artesianews.com/1462337/tokyo-organizers-reach-agreement-on-allocation-of-2020-costs.html

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Tokyo 2020 event programme to see major boost for female participation, youth and urban appeal

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The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today approved the event programme for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The decision marks a key milestone in the evolution of the Olympic programme by introducing youth and urban innovations, significantly improving gender equality, and reducing the overall number of athletes hence reducing the Games’ footprint.

Commenting on the decision, IOC President Thomas Bach said “The fascinating new events that we approved today, together with the five new sports that were added to the Tokyo 2020 programme last year, represent a step-change in the Olympic programme. I am delighted that the Olympic Games in Tokyo will be more youthful, more urban and will include more women”, Bach added.

The EB decision will lead to a net increase of 15 events, an overall reduction of 285 athletes from Rio 2016, and the highest representation of female athletes in Olympic history. In Tokyo, the number of mixed events will double from nine in Rio 2016 to 18. All new events will make use of existing venues.

Today’s decision is a significant step towards achieving the 50 per cent gender balance at the Olympic Games in both athletes and events, as clearly stated by Olympic Agenda 2020.

Four new International Federations (IFs) will move to gender-balanced in events for the first time (Canoe, Rowing, Shooting and Weightlifting). In terms of athletes, six IFs will move to gender balance for the first time (Canoe, Judo, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting and Weightlifting). At discipline level, gender balance is achieved in BMX Racing, Mountain Bike and Freestyle Wrestling.

The programme also includes youth-focused and urban-based additions such as Basketball 3x3 and BMX Freestyle, on top of Sport Climbing and Skateboarding. Basketball 3x3 was a successful innovation at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore 2010 and Nanjing 2014. Sport Climbing and Skateboarding were proposed along with Baseball/Softball, Karate, and Surfing by Tokyo 2020 last year.

The next edition of the Summer Youth Olympic Games, which will take place in Buenos Aires in October 2018, will already feature BMX Freestyle, Karate and Sport Climbing as well as several new innovative urban sports such as Breakdance and Roller Sports.

...

https://www.olympic.org/news/tokyo-2020-event-programme-to-see-major-boost-for-female-participation-youth-and-urban-appeal

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Tokyo American Club chosen to be USA House for 2020 Olympics

 

Tokyo American Club has been chosen as the venue for USA House during the 2020 Olympics and Paralympic Games, it was announced today.

 

The Club, located in the Japanese capital since 1928, will serve as the hospitality and organisational headquarters of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) during Tokyo 2020.

Scott Blackmun, the chief executive of USOC, revealed at the official launch today that the Tokyo American Club had approached them four years ago shortly after the city was awarded the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

“It’s just excellent in every respect,” he said. 

“It’s a great facility and a great location, managed by very capable people who believe in the Olympic Movement.

“We have a big family who supports Team USA, our athletes, our families, our sponsors, our donors and a great group of people who are here to support the Olympic Games and our team.

“So we would like to have a place that has an American look and American feel where they can come and support our team.”

Tokyo American Club was established 89 years ago and has been relocated around the capital several times. 

The present facility in Azabudai in Minato Ward, near Tokyo Tower, opened in 2011. 

The Club currently has 3,700 members from more than 50 countries. 

Tokyo American Club Olympic committee chair Dean Rogers, USOC chief marketing officer Lisa Baird, Tokyo American Club President Mike Alfant, USOC chief executive Scott Blackmun and Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda all took part in the launch ©Tokyo American Club Tokyo American Club Olympic committee chair Dean Rogers, USOC chief marketing officer Lisa Baird, Tokyo American Club President Mike Alfant, USOC chief executive Scott Blackmun and Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda all took part in the launch ©Tokyo American Club

 

“On behalf of Tokyo American Club leadership, members and staff, we are thrilled to welcome Team USA and know it will be an ideal home during the Tokyo Games,” said Club President Michael Alfant. 

“USA House is a place for celebration of Team USA, and that is a natural fit within a great community at Tokyo American Club. 

“We are excited for the Games to begin.”

At recent Olympics, the USOC had its USA House at the Royal College of Art for London 2012, at the Olympic Park for Sochi 2014 and at Ipanema Beach during last summer’s Games in Rio de Janeiro. 

“Tokyo 2020 gives us the platform and the opportunity to do the unimaginable, which is to stage what we think will be the best USA House ever,” Lisa Baird. chief marketing officer of the USOC, said. 

Among the guests at the launch were Tsunekazu Takeda, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee, who had led Tokyo’s successful bid for the 2020 Games. 

“You have chosen the right place,” he told the USOC. 

“This is the best facility with a good location and strong security.”

https://www.tokyodailynews.com/tokyo-american-club-chosen-to-be-usa-house-for-2020-olympics/

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As much as I like traditional Japanese culture, Tokyo 2020 should limit to show the brand new and modern Japan which was sucessful in the handover (technology, videogames, anime, etc). Since at the end of the day is what people only cares about.

We don't want another borefest like Nagano. 

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Tokyo 2020 organizers considering moving women’s soccer final to new National Stadium

 

 
 

The final of the women’s soccer competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics may be held at the new National Stadium in place of the men’s final, which is likely to be moved to another venue, a source close to the matter said Monday.

Games organizers are considering staging the women’s final at the main Olympic stadium on Aug. 7 or earlier, while the men’s final, which had been scheduled there on Aug. 8, may be held possibly at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama or elsewhere, the source said.

The move is aimed at easing the concentration of events at the National Stadium, currently being constructed in central Tokyo, toward the end of the 17-day Summer Olympics through Aug. 9.

Under initial plans, the men’s soccer final was scheduled at the stadium during the day on Aug. 8, with track and field events set for that night. On the last day of competitions, the venue is scheduled to be used for men’s marathon in the morning before the closing ceremony in the evening.

Organizers have determined that staging the men’s soccer final there was difficult considering the many setup changes that have to be implemented at a time when preparations and rehearsals for the closing ceremony must also be held, according to the source.

But the Japan Football Association wants a soccer game to be played at the national stadium, which is set to be used exclusively for team ball sports like soccer and rugby after the games are over

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2017/09/05/olympics/tokyo-2020-organizers-considering-moving-womens-soccer-final-new-national-stadium/#.Wa_YzdFv_IU

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Tokyo marks 1,000 days to go before start of 2020 Olympics

 

Olympics_Tokyo_2020_1000_Days_to_Go_01444.jpg-acf97.jpg?uuid=n4H6Vru2Eeebk7lwQ-V6Ig
Portable shrines with numbers on top depicting “1,000” are carried by local people during a Tokyo 2020 Olympics countdown event in Tokyo Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Tokyo marked 1,000 days to go Saturday before the start of the 2020 Olympics with a ceremony that included a demonstration of new sports that will debut at the Summer Games. (Eugene Hoshiko/Associated Press)

By Jim Armstrong | AP October 28 at 4:07 AM

TOKYO — Tokyo marked 1,000 days until the 2020 Olympics on Saturday with a ceremony that included a demonstration of new sports that will debut at the Summer Games.

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike and kabuki actor Ebizo Ichikawa were among the dignitaries attending the festivities in the Nihonbashi district in downtown Tokyo.

“The Olympic Games has the power to bring dreams to children and cultivate a peaceful society,” said Tsunekazu Takeda, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee. “The success of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is necessary so that sport can contribute to foster a better society and world peace.”

Four floats numbered 1-0-0-0 were carried through the streets to a main stage where a countdown display was unveiled. Organizers said 15,000 people attended Saturday’s event.

In an effort to give the games a more youthful and urban appeal, the IOC has added several new sports to the program.

 

Saturday’s event included demonstrations of three of those sports: 3x3 basketball, skateboarding and BMX freestyle cycling.

Sports climbing, surfing, baseball and softball, and karate are the other new sports added to the program. Karate and the combined sports of baseball and softball were added because of their popularity in Japan.

Tokyo’s preparations so far have won high praise from the International Olympic Committee.

“Of course there are still a lot of things that need to be done over the next three years and we must achieve them successfully,” said Toshiro Muto, CEO of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee.

While Tokyo organizers are eager to showcase their progress, the preparations have not been without difficulties.

In a bid to reduce costs, some sports venues originally included in Tokyo’s compact bid, have been moved to existing facilities in neighboring prefectures, some as far as two hours away by train.

The IOC is calling for further cuts of $1 billion from a $12 billion budget.

 

Meanwhile, the building of the new national stadium, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies and track and field, has been plagued by a series of problems and delays. The initial design by the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid had risen to $2.65 billion, more than twice the original forecast. The Japanese government decided to scrap that plan and approved a new project totaling nearly $1.5 billion. Officials say construction will be completed by November 2019.

 

More recently, a water quality survey during the summer at the triathlon venue in Tokyo Bay found E.coli at concentrations up to 21 times the levels permitted by the sport’s governing body, a surprise for a country known for cleanliness. This raised concerns among athletes but organizers insist the water will be clean and safe.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/tokyo-marks-1000-days-to-go-before-start-of-2020-olympics/2017/10/28/a1e1d1e0-bbb6-11e7-9b93-b97043e57a22_story.html?utm_term=.d8b21769d791

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