Marathon moved from Tokyo

ZTN Sports Reporter

TOKYO governor Yuriko Koike has lost the battle to ensure the marathon and race walk stays in the host city.

The International Olympic Committee has ruled that the decision to move the races for Tokyo 2020 to Sapporo is final.

“It’s not a matter of if the Tokyo government insists, the decision has been taken,” John Coates, chairman of the IOC’s coordination commission, is quoted by the BBC as saying.

“The IOC was shocked by what we saw in Doha in very similar conditions, in terms of temperature and humidity, to what’s expected here in Tokyo.“We didn’t want Tokyo to be remembered for similar images as you will have seen in Doha in the marathon and in the race-walking events.”