Rowing federation against venue change

THE PROPOSED rowing venue for the 2020 Tokyo Games should not be changed as part of cost-cutting measures as it is the only one that meets Olympic standards, the International Rowing Federation (FISA) said yesterday. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Games organisers have agreed to set up a review process to reduce ballooning costs and part of that operation will mean changing venues from those in the original bid plan. The rowing federation, however, said plans to move the competition from the capital could not work. One of the proposed venue changes would mean moving rowing and canoe/ kayak sprint events away from the capital, with several options on the table, including Naganuma Lake some 400km north of Tokyo. According to Japanese media, the IOC would even consider hosting the events in the South Korean city of Chungju, where rowing events were held for the 2014 Asian Games. — Reuters