In September 1957, a proposal was made to the IOC for levelling out the competition timetable so as to avoid, as was the case in the past, a full and interesting first week's programme with sports of major interest to the general public, to the detriment of the second week where normally sports of secondary interest to the public are held, with consequent reduction in attendance.
In this respect, the Rome Organisation, bearing in mind the criticism made over past timetables, made plans to delay the athletics competitions, normally held within the first eight days, and which, once over, provoke a decreasing interest in the whole Games. Finally, the International Amateur Athletics Federation agreed, with certain provisoes, to the proposed change.