Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike demanded an explanation from the International Olympic Committee during a meeting on Friday with Coordination Committee Chairman John Coates as to why the host city for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games wasn¡¯t consulted in a decision to move the marathon and race-walking events to Sapporo.
The preliminary talks were held ahead of a three-day meeting to begin Oct. 31 in Tokyo to discuss measures to mitigate summer heat in the capital during the 2020 Games. The IOC¡¯s proposal to move the marathon and walking events is expected to be finalized at the meeting.
¡°Up until now, the local municipalities and authorities and citizens were very much looking forward to the events and working very hard to prepare for them,¡± Koike said. ¡°Because of this, when the plan to change was announced, myself, as well as the citizens, could not help but feel it was quite sudden.¡±
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