Olympic calendar may need adapting because of climate change – Coe

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe predicts that the challenges posed by climate change may require a “re-engineering” of the world’s calendar of Olympic sports in response to the sweltering temperatures encountered in Tokyo.

Following nine days of intense competition, the sport’s household names lit up Japan’s National stadium, which had hosted the Olympics behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, on Sunday night.

The athletes’ discussions about the conditions that they had to contend with, particularly in the endurance events, were dominated by discussions in the championships’ opening days, where excessive temperatures exceeded 30C were accompanied by stifling humidity above 90%.

World Athletics will hold its inaugural Ultimate Championships in Budapest the following year to bridge the gap between its main events and bring the 2026 season to a close. World Athletics will also hold the quadrennial Olympic Games and biennial World Championships.

However, Lord Coe suggested that competitions like the marathon might need to be held separately, at a different time of year, to protect competitors from future risk of bad weather.

Coe told BBC Sport, “Yes, I do see that.” “That’s not simple because you’re moving to cities that are still very hot in the spring and early winter.”

According to Coe, a study conducted by World Athletics found that 70% of athletes believe their training and training programs are being impacted by climate change and the heat.

The 68-year-old added that “governments haven’t really stepped up to the plate” on the issue and that “I can’t see beyond the inevitable need to have to, collectively, as Olympic sports and probably the Olympic movement, really re-engineer what the international calendar looks like.”

There will be some branding issues, according to World Athletics, but I’m not sure we can continue to ask some of our endurance-based athletes to compete at times that are likely to put them in danger as well.

Coe also stated that all female athletes who competed in the female category of the World Championships had been tested for gene expression, and that the test is still valid.

He reaffirmed that any information about any athletes who might have been unable to compete as a result of the cheek swab test will remain private.

One of the sport’s biggest names was Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, who captivated the frequently sold-out 60, 000 crowds at Japan’s National Stadium, including pole vault legend Armand Duplantis, American Olympians Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Noah Lyles, and American Olympian Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

Duplantis, 25, broke the record for the most outstanding performance by breaking his 14th world record on his final attempt after capturing a third consecutive title.

McLaughlin-Levrone surpassed the controversial 40-year women’s 400-meter world record, while fellow compatriot Lyles won the 200-meter title for the fourth time in a row from Jamaica, and Kipyegon won the historic fourth world 1500m title.

Coe concluded his news conference on Sunday by saying, “I think our sport is in excellent shape.” We have more followers and a wider appeal than we have in a very long time.

World Athletics hosts its three-day Ultimate Championships in Budapest next year, which features world champions, Diamond League winners, and 2026’s top athletes, and offers a $10 million (£7.5 million) prize pot.

The final leg of Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track was postponed earlier this year due to financial concerns, and some athletes are still waiting to receive money as a result of the inaugural season of the sport, which excluded field competitions.

World Athletics plans to test concepts that might later be included in the sport’s established major stages using the Ultimate Championship, according to Coe.

“Our sport has a four-year cycle, and during one of those years, we don’t receive the ten billion eyeballs.” We can’t afford that because it’s a global sport,” Coe said.

We considered what we can do to be unique and can foster change, test products, and possibly bring them to a World Championship.

There is still much more work to be done, according to the author, “I think it will be great.”

Bolt, a world-class athlete with eight Olympic gold medals, said the Ultimate Championships are a “good start” for the sport as it strives to develop.

Track and field needs to evolve, Bolt said.

The incentive is great because track and field is one of the poorest sports and one of the biggest sports, so I’m happy for the athletes because they deserve it.

Coe cited technological advancements in the synthetic track surface, the athletes’ footwear, and the development of coaching techniques in light of the high level of performances in Tokyo and the overall improvement in standards.

Some of the performances we’ve seen here are “absolutely jaw-dropping,” said Coe.

The sport is progressing pretty much in the same way in track and field, which is wonderful.