Jun 28 (Japan Today) - Spectators at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games may be allowed to bring their own bottled drinks into event venues, marking a major departure from past security procedures, organizers indicated Thursday.
The proposed step is among a raft of countermeasures outlined by the local organizing committee to protect the health of visitors, volunteers and athletes who may experience extreme heat and humidity during Tokyo's summer.
Other measures include patrols of venues by staff with first-aid training, as well as the installation of "cool spots" for spectators that provide shade and cooling fans.
Ticketholders have been prevented from carrying liquids into past Olympic and other major sporting event venues due to anti-terrorism concerns, as well as to uphold commercial arrangements with sponsors.
Tokyo Games organizers will still consider safety issues and the branding rights of major sponsors, including Coca-Cola Co, in formulating rules on the use of drink bottles, according to Tokyo 2020 Games delivery officer Hidemasa Nakamura.
