Opinions differ on hour of swimming finals

Jul 19, 2018 | News On Japan

Jul 19, 2018 (NHK) - The International Olympic Committee and organizing committee for the Tokyo Games failed to agree on what time the swimming finals will be held.

Swimming was excluded from the rough schedule for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that was determined on Wednesday.

The Tokyo committee had a plan to hold the final races in the evening. But sources say the IOC asked Tokyo officials to set the events in the morning in consideration of the desire of a US broadcasting network. That time is convenient for US viewers.

In the Beijing Games in 2008, the swimming finals were held in the morning at the request of the US.

The chief of the Tokyo committee, Yoshiro Mori, said John Coates, the head of the IOC's coordination commission for the Tokyo Games, will be responsible for efforts to bridge the gap.

Mori noted that the international association of the sport will likely play a major role in discussions.

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