© Copyright – 2020 – Athletics illustrated
Typical. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) arbitrarily moving the marathons and race walking events 800-kilometres north from Tokyo to Sapporo has had a trickle down effect. Athletes need to adjust, family, coaches, officials, spectators, sponsors, media – all involved have to consider the 1600K return journey.
Accommodations, additional travel, adjacent plans to the Olympics – tourism, all interrupted because the IOC thought that the temperatures in Tokyo may be too warm for the distance events. This, because of the backlash from the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships.
Tokyo is not Doha.
Message to the IOC: Worry about organizing the global event, let the individual sports take care of their own specific needs.
The arrogance of the ill-fated, arbitrary decision is stupefying. To suggest that some suit in the IOC knows better than the people in the governing body, World Athletics, what is good for the athletes demonstrates ego that is out of control.
Continued fallout includes Tokyo 2020 having to announce the refund process for fans who bought tickets for the marathons and race walks.
The events are free to watch but a ticket guaranteed a seat in the new National Stadium for the finishes — so that’s out.
Would-be spectators were apparently e-mailed about how to apply for a refund.
Fans affected by this can opt to receive a full or partial refund from what they paid. So, partial? Let’s bet that there will be no partial refunds, when a full refund is available.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is unhappy.
The marathons typically showcase a city. The exposure that Tokyo would receive during the marathons and race walk events will now go to Sapporo.
Are the events now called the 2020 Sapporo Olympic Marathon and Race walks?
