(ATR) The International Canoe Federation tells Around the Rings it favors the originally proposed Tokyo venue, while assessing the financial situation.
ICF secretary general Simon Toulson says of all the current proposed venues the original Sea Forest venue remains the federation’s "main focus" for now. The venue will be used for Olympic canoe sprint and rowing events.
Toulson told ATR that the federation is concerned over the rising costs, but will not consider backing another site until the finances are proven to be "accurate". He remained confident that the legacy aspects of the Sea Forest venue outweigh any potential upgrades to an existing facility.
"We know the other venues and have examined them; generally they would involve significant investment as well to make them Olympic level," Toulson said. "So at this stage Sea Forest is still the main focus for us as a venue. The final outcome could be an amazing legacy for the city if they achieve what they said they want to do with the area."
The ICF standpoint echoes that of the World Rowing Federation, which supports the Sea Forest site.
Currently, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is conducting a review of the canoeing/rowing venue to determine the most cost-effective solution for the city. Koike’s review comes after an independent panel appointed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government warned that the costs associated with the 2020 Olympics could rise to $30 billion. The panel suggested three sports be moved outside of Tokyo or to existing venues to save money.
Tokyo and IOC organizers say the best course of action remains to work with the existing venue plan to find ways to cut costs.Tokyo 2020 has already moved two sports, basketball and cycling, out of the city in an effort to save money.
Written by Aaron Bauer
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