Paralympics amid virus is just one more hurdle
Having no fans at the Tokyo Paralympics will be 鈥渁 challenge,鈥 International Paralympics Committee chief Andrew Parsons said yesterday.
But he is confident the event will reach 鈥渕ore people than ever before.鈥
The Paralympics are set to open behind closed doors on Tuesday, after organizers decided this week to follow the Olympics鈥 example in banning spectators over virus fears.
Japan is currently battling record coronavirus infections, with Tokyo and other parts of the country under a state of emergency.
International Paralympic Committee president Parsons said the decision to ban spectators will have 鈥渁n impact that we cannot minimise,鈥 but he believes a global TV audience will still put the Paralympics center stage.
鈥淥f course, the fact that we will not have spectators at the venues is a challenge, but we believe we will reach more than 4 billion people through broadcasting,鈥 he said.
鈥淪o we still believe the reach of these Games will be incredible. We will reach more nations and more people than ever before.鈥
Daily testing
The Games come with virus cases surging across Japan. More than 20,000 new daily infections have been recorded in recent days, driven by the more contagious Delta variant.
Japan鈥檚 government has insisted the Paralympics will be held safely and that it remains committed to hosting them.
Around 4,400 athletes are expected to take part in the event, and like their Olympic counterparts they will face daily testing and restrictions on their movement.
Organizers of the July 23-August 8 Olympics have reported 544 positive cases among athletes, officials and media, most of them among Japan-based employees and contractors.
They have said there was no evidence that infections spread from Olympic participants to the Japanese public.
Parsons said the implementation of the Olympic 鈥渂ubble鈥 convinced him the Paralympics can work.
鈥淭he main lesson is that we can deliver the Games in a safe way,鈥 he said.
鈥淲e know the numbers are getting higher and higher in Tokyo and Japan, so we want to protect Japanese society and we want to protect our athletes as well.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we will not be complacent.鈥
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