Christophe Dubi claims the IOC has made a point of taking sport to young people ©Getty Images

International Olympic Committee (IOC) Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi believes the Tokyo 2020 Urban Festival will help the international multi-sport event's programme stay relevant.

In July, Tokyo 2020 announced details of the concepts behind "TOKYO WATERFRONT CITY", which denotes an area around Tokyo Bay that will host Olympic and Paralympic events and activities next year.

The Urban Festival is one of three symbolic features to be developed there. 

It will take place at Ariake Urban Sports Park where BMX racing and freestyle, as well as skateboarding events, will be held, and in Ariake Gymnastics Centre, where gymnastics and boccia competitions take place.

Organisers say visitors will feel and enjoy urban sports, with exhibition performances by athletes and a sport experience area.

They can try their hand at urban sports such as BMX and skateboarding, with Tokyo 2020 also planning many other interactive opportunities, with cool spots featuring mist sprays and shaded areas.

"We have made a point to take sport to youth," Dubi told Reuters.

"We want to make sure the Olympic programme remains relevant.

"We have to bring those sports to youth as we cannot expect that they come naturally to the offer that we have."

The Urban Festival is one of three symbolic features that will be developed at
The Urban Festival is one of three symbolic features that will be developed at "TOKYO WATERFRONT CITY" ©Tokyo 2020

It is claimed the "TOKYO WATERFRONT CITY" will create an environment to engage spectators and visitors more directly during Tokyo 2020.

The bold initiative includes the Aomi and Daiba neighbourhoods, as well as the new city area of Ariake, where a number of urban development projects have started.

Events for many of the urban and youth-focused sports featuring at the Olympics for the first time at Tokyo 2020 – such as 3x3 basketball, BMX freestyle, skateboarding and sport climbing – will be held there.

It is planned to make the area more attractive to visitors by deploying a new approach to the Games experience, putting competition facilities in an urban environment.

"[The Olympic programme] is growing but it is growing for a good reason – to remain relevant," Dubi added.

"Relevant to youth and relevant to sports participation overall.

"The sports programme has to reflect what is happening in playgrounds, on fields of play every single weekend.

Adopting a similar approach to the "TOKYO WATERFRONT CITY" concept, Tokyo 2020 is also working on plans to create engaging opportunities at the surfing venue in the style of a festival dedicated to the sport.