Doctors have warned the 2020 Games could see deadly medical emergencies as athletes, volunteers and spectators face the sweltering Tokyo summer where the mercury can easily reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already moved the marathon and race-walking to the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido over heat concerns. Tokyo 2020 organisers have won widespread praise for their preparations but extreme summer heat and poor water quality have given them a headache at test events. In August, a French triathlete was taken to hospital with suspected heatstroke after an Olympic test event, despite organisers cutting the run to 5km due to the hot weather. Also in August, organisers were forced to cancel the swimming section of a paratriathlon test event for Tokyo 2020 due to high levels of bacteria in the water.

Source: Daily Nation December 05, 2019 10:18 UTC