Zimpapers Logo

Tokyo 2020 qualification events in artistic swimming and diving are now expected to take place next month following reports they had been cancelled.

The competitions had been a cause of concern, with the International Swimming Federation (FINA) having listed the competitions as being off last week.

Both events serve as qualifiers and test events for Tokyo 2020.

BBC Sport said it had seen a letter where FINA accused the Japanese Government of not taking “all the necessary measures to ensure successful and fair” competition amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

FINA had expressed concerns over rising costs associated with coronavirus countermeasures, a three-day quarantine period ahead of the event and delays on several Japanese embassies issuing visas.

According to Reuters, organisers have made concessions to the governing body over cost-sharing, as well as the three-day quarantine period.

This will reportedly allow for the artistic swimming to take place from May 1 to 4.

The FINA Diving World Cup is expected to be pushed back to May from its planned April 18 to 23 slot.

Four spots for Tokyo 2020 are due to be awarded in each synchronised diving discipline at the event, as well as up to 18 spots in individual disciplines.

Fukuoka had been scheduled to stage the Olympic marathon swimming qualifier from May 29 to 30, but the event is expected to move to Setubal in Portugal.

FINA has yet to officially confirm to the status of the events.

Tokyo 2020 relaunched its test event programme with a wheelchair rugby test held last week.

Several of the test events are operational, while others will be held under the “Ready, Steady, Tokyo” banner.

Rugby, swimming and cycling test events are also planned to take place in April.

The May schedule includes volleyball, artistic swimming, gymnastics, athletics, skateboarding, 3×3 basketball and shooting.

Tokyo 2020 will be in charge of 14 of the test events.

FINA will oversee its events, while World Athletics is in charge of the marathon event in Sapporo.

Domestic fans are expected to be present at the athletics test event at the National Stadium in Tokyo next month.

The competition is expected to help organisers plan for the possibility of allowing domestic spectators to attend events at the Games amid the pandemic. – Insidethegames.biz