Whilst it has often been the tradition to proclaim each edition as the best ever, especially during the long reign as Lord of the Rings by Juan Antonio Samaranch, this can no longer be.

The reality is that the hosting of the Games by Rio de Janeiro in 2016 was nothing special. For many, it was disappointing and the controversy surrounding the manner in which the bid was won and the event delivered lingers on.

Former IOC member and World Athletics President Lamine Diack goes on trial in France in the ensuing weeks - one of the key aspects of the allegations against him being that he took cash for organising votes for Rio. And he is not alone.

Even Tokyo 2020 has not escaped similar issues with the chair of its organising committee, who was also an IOC member, resigning after similar claims as to how the Japanese capital might have been victorious.

But none of that is new - and is therefore not perhaps a particular challenge that Tokyo faces.

Number one will be keeping the Olympic Games both relevant and supreme.

Even this week when the IOC Executive Board met with its Athletes Commission there were simmering issues that while on the face of it sound resolved at least for 2020 that might not be the case.

The Athletes Commission is an important but in reality only a tiny representation of those who participate in each edition of the Games.

Some are surely trying to carve out a niche within the Olympic movement in the long term.

Two IOC rules continue to provide concern - both for the IOC which seeks to preserves its position and many athletes who see the Games as a real chance to maximise financial returns or to promote causes dear to them.

Both IOC Rules 40 which covers athletes' rights to promote themselves and 50 that relates to political and other demonstrations during the Games have been under the microscope.

The German courts effectively found that Rule 40 was unreasonable but the IOC has left it to national Olympic committees to respond.

Canada this week followed Australia and the German NOC's example in broadening the scope for athletes to promote themselves and their personal sponsors during the Games window.

At last year's Pan American Games there were a couple of victory podium protests that has clearly spooked the IOC. These were more externally political than the more in-house refusals by Mack Horton and British swimmer Duncan Scott to share the dais with Chinese freestyler Sun Yang at last year's world swimming championships.

Interestingly again the IOC seems to have flick-passed the role of coming up with new guidelines for its athlete arm. It's not clear how influential their imprimatur will be in deterring their colleagues from making a stand.

But that's not all that's on Tokyo's plate.

The IOC will be desperate for the experiment with the new sports and new disciplines within existing sports to work.

They have made clear a desire to make a connection with younger generations not engaged through traditional sports by introducing the likes of climbing, skate boarding and surfing.

Then there is the small matter of a boxing tournament that has to be organised by the IOC itself because it fell out of love with the sport's governing body - and indeed weightlifting which it emerged this week might end up in the same boat.

Not to forget Russia which makes all the other headaches and nerves look minuscule. Whilst World Athletics looks likely to severely restrict even individual athlete participation, what happens with all of the other sports will be turbulent for sure.

And if all of that is not enough to create a few jitters it is claimed that Tokyo may be short by around 14,000 of the hotel beds needed during the Games periods. Less surprising are reports some 46,000 suites have been set aside for dignitaries and officials.