Russia, heat cloud Tokyo 2020 Olympics with six months to go

Uncertainty over Russia's participation for third consecutive Olympics and concerns over heat hang heavy over Tokyo 2020 preparations, with only six months until opening ceremony. Japanese capital has avoided many of crises that dogged previous Games -- International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Thomas Bach said city is best-prepared host city he has seen, with facilities complete well ahe of schedule and tickets massively oversubscribed. But elements largely out of organisers' control have overshowed run-up to 2020 Games, second time y will have been held in Tokyo after 1964 when a post-war Japan wowed world with its techlogical prowess and ecomic "miracle".

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Chief among se is wher Russian athletes will compete after World Anti-Doping ncy (WA) imposed a four-year ban from international sporting events over what it views as a state-sponsored doping scheme. Moscow has appealed to Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but sources have told AFP a decision is t expected before May, just weeks before Games open on July 24. Bach has urged CAS, world's highest sports court, to give a decision that "does t leave room for any kind of interpretation", warning of "real, total confusion" if ruling is t watertight. Russia's up-in--air participation follows confusion at Rio Games, where IOC allowed individual federations to decide wher to permit athletes to compete. At 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, IOC barred Russian Olympic Committee but allowed clean Russian athletes to take part as neutral competitors.

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'Decision without agreement'

Even less predictable than Russian participation is Tokyo wear, which has resulted in unprecedented moving of marathon from host city over safety concerns. In 1964, Games were held in October to avoid hot and humid Tokyo summer where temperatures can exceed 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). But athletes in 2020 will have such respite, with some doctors warning re could be dely emergencies, and concerns have been raised for volunteers, spectators and competitors.

Test events last summer gave organisers a taste of what could be to come. A French triathlete was hospitalised with suspected heatstroke and several spectators were taken ill at a rowing event. Tokyo 2020 has rolled out a series of measures designed to counter heat, including artificial sw, cooling mist sprays, paper fans and towels to cool neck. Events have been brought forward earlier to avoid burning afteron sun but most extraordinary change was shifting marathon and race walk 800 kilometers (500 miles) rth to Sapporo on island of Hokkaido. move, which apparently caught Tokyo officials off guard when it was anunced by IOC, sparked fury in capital, with city mayor Yuriko Koike describing it as "a decision without an agreement". Kazuri Asaba -- training chief of Japan Association of Athletics Federations -- went furr. "It's like athletes who h been training for many years to climb Everest were told just nine months before y would go to a different mountain," he said.

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'We're t complacent'

Tokyo officials are also carrying out drills in case of natural disaster in one of world's most active seismic regions, which also gets battered by several typhoons each year. Last year's Rugby World Cup was affected by huge Typhoon Hagibis, which forced cancellation of three matches. With six months to go, excitement is building and nearly 60,000 fans packed out new National Stium for its opening to see three-time 100m sprint gold medallist Usain Bolt trot around track. Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto, who represented Japan at seven Olympic Games as a speed skater and cyclist, said country would stop at thing to pull off a spectacular show. "Last week I was in Lausanne, where President Bach again complimented our preparations. But we're t complacent. We will do everything possible, I will do my best as a minister, to make Games a success," she told reporters. 

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