The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games intends to impose a total smoking ban at Games venues in 2020, including the entirety of both indoor and outdoor areas of each site, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned. According to sources, it would be the first time for such a measure to be taken at the Summer Olympic Games.
In 2017, the committee announced plans to ban smoking within buildings used for the Games. However, it had been carefully studying a ban on smoking outside of the building, as there were smoking areas on the premises of the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
According to the sources, the Tokyo committee's move will be line with the wishes of the International Olympic Committee, which promotes smoke-free Olympic Games. It plans to not set up smoking areas on the premises of the facilities.
At the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018, a total smoking ban was imposed on the grounds of the venue, but cigarette butts ended up scattered around the entrance. So, the Tokyo committee will discuss measures with local governments, including the Tokyo metropolitan government.
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