The Olympic marathon and race walking events during Tokyo 2020 will be moved to Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido from the capital due to worries about heat.

Organisers seem eager to avoid a repeat of troubling scenes at the recent World Athletics Championships in Doha, where almost half the field failed to complete the women’s marathon because of sweltering heat and humidity.

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“Athletes’ health and well‑being are always at the heart of our concerns,” said Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee. “The Olympic Games are the platform where athletes can give once‑in‑a‑lifetime performances, and these measures ensure they have the conditions to give their best.“

Organisers had been looking for ways to protect athletes and spectators from Tokyo’s sweltering temperatures expected during the summer Olympics and Paralympic Games next year. Tokyo held a test marathon in September, featuring tents equipped with mist machines for spectators. Officials had also been planning to hold longer-distance races during cooler hours, but questions had persisted over whether such steps were enough. Suffocating humidity and high temperatures in Doha proved gruelling despite a midnight start. Nearly a third of the 70 starters failed to reach the finish line, fuelling debate over athletes’ welfare.

Temperatures in Tokyo during July and August, when the city hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Games, commonly exceed 30C, with high humidity adding to the discomfort. Temperatures in Sapporo, host of the 1972 Winter Olympics, during the period are as much as 5C-6C cooler during the day than in Tokyo. The change in location will be discussed with other parties, including Tokyo and broadcasters.