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National Olympic committees get glimpse of Tokyo 2020 venues

TOKYO — A dozen national Olympic committees have taken a quick look at Tokyo’s venue preparations for the 2020 Summer Games.
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Olympic committees have gotten a quick look at Tokyo’s venue preparations for the 2020 Summer Games. (Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

TOKYO — A dozen national Olympic committees have taken a quick look at Tokyo’s venue preparations for the 2020 Summer Games.

Mark England of the British Olympic Association says they were impressed.

England says “we haven’t had many questions to ask the organizing committee because the venues have been absolutely fantastic.”

The tour Tuesday included Tokyo’s Metropolitan Gymnasium, which was built in 1954 hosted gymnastics for the 1964 Olympics. It will be the venue for table tennis in two years.

England says “in this venue here today — historical and traditional though it is — we can see that it is absolutely superb condition.”

Tokyo’s use of existing venues will delight the International Olympic Committee, which has been criticized for pressuring cities to build “white elephant” sports venues.