As the Tokyo olympics have been delayed until 2021 due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee have revised the dates for the test events for the Games, with the majority now taking place between March and May 2021.
The revised calendar includes test events for over 18 disciplines that will be represented at the main Olympics in Japan in 2021, which will take place at the venues to be used for the Games, including the revamped Tokyo Olympics stadium.
The content of the previously scheduled test events will be examined and reviewed with the collaboration of the International Federations and the recommendations of the 2020 Olympic Agenda to reduce costs and enhance efficiency, with new infection control measures implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19.
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The Purpose of the Test Events
Test Events are sporting competitions organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and usually held around a year in advance of an upcoming Olympics.
They allow the host country to check the readiness of the infrastructure for the events and resolve any issues before the start date, in order to allow for the smooth operation of the Games.
They also allow the althlethes to adjust to the playing conditions and make the necessary preparations to optimize their performance during the main events.
The test events for Tokyo 2020 will assess the readiness of the designated Olympic venues for each sporting discipline, including the effectiveness of the venue management, the technology that will be employed, and the workforce, with a particular focus on COVID-19 safety measures.
Branding for the Tokyo Olympics Tests
The official brand name for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics test events is “Ready Steady Tokyo”, taken from the term “ready, steady, go!” which is used to start the races.
While this branding aims to evoke the excitement felt throughout Japan as the Olympics draw nearer, the ‘Steady’ part of the name is also meant to symbolize the fact the Games are on track to be a well-organized and successful event despite the challenging conditions of the previous year.
The logo for the test events also aims to express confidence in the sporting competitions by using thick brushstrokes evocative of Japanese calligraphy to symbolize the movements of the athletes who will take place in the Games.
Updated Tokyo Olympics test event calendar for 2021
Some of the test events for Tokyo 2020 had already taken place prior to the postment of the Games due to COV1D-19 concerns in 2018 and 2019, including for disciplines including surfing, sailing, archery, weight lifting, rowing, tennis, badminton, and beach volleyball.
However, after the Olympics were delayed, many of the tests were subsequently postponed until early 2021, including testing for many aquatic and athletic disciplines.
As of December 11th, 2020, the updated Tokyo 2021 Olympics schedule for the test events is as follows:
| Disciplines | Event | Date/Venue | Organiser |
| Football | Emperor’s Cup JFA 99th Japan Football Championship | 1 Jan. 2020 Olympic Stadium | Japan Football Association |
| Boccia | Boccia Operational Test (tentative) | 29 Feb.-1 Mar. 2020 Ariake Gymnastics Centre | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Sport Climbing | READY STEADY TOKYO – Sport Climbing | 6-8 Mar. 2020 (The spare day on 8 Mar.) Aomi Urban Sports Park | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Aquatics (Artistic Swimming) | FINA Artistic Swimming Olympic Games Qualification Tournament 2021 | 4-7 Mar. 2021 Tokyo Aquatics Centre | Fédération Internationale de Natation |
| Wheelchair Rugby | Operational Test – Wheelchair Rugby | 3-4 Apr. 2021 Yoyogi National Stadium | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Aquatics (Water Polo) | Operational Test – Aquatics (Water Polo) | 10-11 Apr. 2021 Tatsumi Water Polo Centre | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Aquatics (Diving) | FINA Diving World Cup 2021 | 18-23 Apr. 2021 Tokyo Aquatics Centre | Fédération Internationale de Natation |
| Rugby | Operational Test – Rugby | 22 Apr. 2021 Tokyo Stadium | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Aquatics (Swimming) | READY STEADY TOKYO – Aquatics (Swimming) | 24-25 Apr. 2021 Tokyo Aquatics Centre | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Cycling (BMX Freestyle) | READY STEADY TOKYO – Cycling (BMX Freestyle) | 24-25 Apr. 2021 (The spare day on 26 Apr.) Ariake Urban Sports Park | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Cycling (Track) | READY STEADY TOKYO – Cycling (Track) | 25 Apr. 2021 Izu Velodrome | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Para Swimming | READY STEADY TOKYO – Para Swimming | 26 Apr. 2021 Tokyo Aquatics Centre | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Shooting | READY STEADY TOKYO – Shooting | 26-30 Apr. 2021 Asaka Shooting Range | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Skateboarding | READY STEADY TOKYO – Skateboarding | 28-29 Apr. 2021 (The spare day on 30 Apr.) Ariake Urban Sports Park | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Volleyball (Volleyball) | International Volleyball Games~Tokyo Challenge 2021~ (TBC) | 1-2 May. 2021 Ariake Arena | Japan Volleyball Association |
| Gymnastics (Artistic) | 2021 Artistic Gymnastics WORLD CUP TOKYO | 4 May. 2021 Ariake Gymnastics Centre | Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique |
| Athletics (Marathon) | Hokkaido – Sapporo Marathon Festival 2021 | 5 May. 2021 Sapporo Odori Park | Hokkaido – Sapporo Marathon Festival 2021 Committee |
| Gymnastics (Rhythmic) | READY STEADY TOKYO – Gymnastics (Rhythmic) | 8 May. 2021 Ariake Gymnastics Centre | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Athletics | READY STEADY TOKYO – Athletics | 9 May. 2021 Olympic Stadium | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Para Athletics | READY STEADY TOKYO – Para Athletics | 11 May. 2021 Olympic Stadium | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
| Basketball (3×3 Basketball) | READY STEADY TOKYO – Basketball (3×3 Basketball) | 14-16 May. 2021 Aomi Urban Sports Park | The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games |
Nevertheless, some of these dates may still change, as several aspects of the test events for 2021 are still under review. Those interested in tracking the progress of the test events should check this page periodically for any updates.