International Canoe Federation President Perurena seeks gender equality at Tokyo 2020

Cutting edge technology for Rio 2016 is proposed by the ICF for competitors at September's Canoe Sprint Test event impeded by algae and weeds ©Getty Images

José Perurena, President of the International Canoe Federation (ICF), has revealed the sport will be seeking gender equality by the time of the Tokyo 2020 Games - and that it will deploy, literally, cutting edge technology to overcome some of the potential pollution problems encountered at the Rio 2016 Canoe Sprint venue on the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas.

The 70-year-old former Olympic canoer, who is also an International Olympic Committee member and President of the International World Games Association, told insidethegames: “We are continually evolving.

“This December’s Board Meeting will approve the final proposal for the event programme we will put forward to the IOC for inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

“The ICF’s vision is to have the gender equality, we will propose eight women’s and eight men’s events for canoe sprint and two of each in the slalom.

"We are also working on the programme of the Games of 2024.”

At London 2012, there were four slalom events – the men’s C1 and C2, the men’ K1 and the women’s K1.

The 2012 sprint programme featured 12 events, four of which were for women.

“The proposal at the moment is that the slalom will feature only individual events, with the C2 men’s event dropping out,” an ICF spokesman said.

“In the sprints, there will be a C1 event for the women.”

Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes (right) oversees the newly prepared Rio 2016 canoe slalom course on which the Olympic Test event will take place later this month ©Getty Images

Perurena, who claimed the competition infrastructure for the impending Rio 2016 Canoe Slalom Test event, due to take place between November 25-30, is “in perfect condition”, confirmed that a technical solution is proposed to counter the problems of algae and weed dragging on canoes and kayaks encountered during the Rio 2016 Canoe Sprint Test event on Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas in September.

“Rio 2016 has been solving the problems and challenges that arise with some Olympic venues,” Perurena told insidethegames.

“At this time we have conducted a test of the sprint venue with generally good impressions.

“It is lacking in some areas such as problems with algae in the Lagoa lagoon, but I am sure that we will solve this problem with both technical solutions made to ensure the boat can cut through any stray algae and the efforts of the Organising Committee to clear the competition areas.”

To read the full interview click here.