Fear of temperatures that could go higher than 100 degrees is prompting some schedule reshuffling of the Tokyo Olympics, with just seven months to go until the Games get under way.
It’s odd, when you consider that the summers in Tokyo are typically very hot and humid, so the International Olympic Committee knew what it was facing in 2013 when it awarded the Games to the city for dates in July and August. That was six years ago–why are they waiting until practically the last minute to make changes, especially since more than 50 people died in the city last summer due to high temperatures?
When I went to the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, which is in the same part of the world, the Games were in September and October, when it is much cooler. But of course, the fall is prime time for football and the World Series on TV, and TV is the big player in the Olympics.
One of the competitions that will be affected is the three-day eventing cross-country, which will have to start between 7:30 and 8 a.m. in order to finish by 11 a.m., because after that time, heat could rise to a level that is dangerous for the horses. Despite provisions for misting sprays and cooling tents, horses can’t avoid stress from the conditions. And with delays usual due to falls and other mishaps on cross-country, the last rider may go past the finish line later than the optimum ETA.
In other sports affected by the heat, the marathons already have been moved to Sapporo, about 500 miles north of Tokyo. The men’s and women’s triathlon races at Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo were moved up and will start at 6:30 a.m., an hour earlier than initially planned.
The FEI (international equestrian federation) undertook a study to collect data on how the horses did in the heat and humidity during last July’s Olympic test event, and a change in time zones as well as the stress of travel was also taken into account.
“High level equestrian competitions are increasingly taking place in parts of the world where the climate poses health challenges for both humans and horses,” FEI veterinary director Göran Akerström said.
“The study plays a crucial role in guiding Tokyo 2020 and other Organizing Committees on appropriate facilities and support, and will be used to advise and guide athletes and National Federations on the preparation of their horses in the build-up to and during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”