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Naoko Imoto holds an Olympic torch in Athens on March 19, 2020. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Former Olympic swimmer Naoko Imoto has dove back into the sports world, tackling gender equality issues as a newly appointed adviser to the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee.
“I think there are things that I can do to be of service,” said Imoto, 44.
Imoto, who competed for Japan in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, stayed away from sports after retiring from competitive swimming.
But the sexist remarks made by Yoshiro Mori, the organizing committee’s former president, earlier this year prompted her to become active again.
Imoto said she was shocked by the comments, which created an international uproar and forced Mori to step down.
Monday, 25 January 2021
Organisers of the Tokyo 2020 Torch Relay may be forced to divert the event away from public roads when it begins its journey around Japan two months from today.
Japanese agency
Kyodo News reported that plans for the Torch Relay to be held behind closed doors are being considered if emergency measures are still in force when the domestic Relay is scheduled to begin on March 25.
Tokyo itself has been under a state of emergency since January 7 and other regions of Japan have followed suit.
Although Tokyo 2020 insist that the 121-day Relay involving some 10,000 runners will remain as originally planned in principle , they confirmed last month that some details could change.