The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will wear heart rate monitors during competitions. The move is aimed at improving athlete safety and monitoring their physical condition during events.

According to IOC Medical Director Dr Richard Budgett, the decision was made after consultation with sports governing bodies and medical experts.

“The goal is to provide athletes with a safe and healthy competition environment,” he said.

Athletes will wear wearable heart rate monitors provided by the IOC during all Olympic events, including track and field, swimming, and gymnastics. The data collected from the devices will be used to monitor athlete fatigue, stress, and overall physical condition.

The move is seen as a major step forward in enhancing athlete safety at the Olympics, following concerns over heat-related illnesses and other health issues during previous Games.

“This technology has been widely used in professional sports and has proven its effectiveness,” said Dr Budgett.

In addition to providing real-time data on athletes’ physical condition, the heart rate monitors will also help officials make informed decisions about event scheduling and competition formats.

The IOC has announced that it will be working with sport governing bodies to develop new guidelines for using the heart rate monitor data in athlete selection and competition planning.

Keywords: Olympic Athletes, Heart Rate Monitors, Athlete Safety, Tokyo 2020