The Tokyo Paralympic Games, which will be held from 24 August to 5 September next, will be held behind closed doors, as was the case for the Olympics that closed just 8 August.
The decision was taken for granted, given the resurgence of the pandemic in Japan, and the organizing committee's announcement came eight days before the opening ceremony, in a joint note with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Japanese government and the city. of Tokyo.
The approximately 4,400 athletes who will take part in the Paralympics will have to undergo strict control measures, with daily tests and movement restrictions. Italy will send 113 athletes to Japan (+ 14.14% compared to Rio 2016) from 15 disciplines, with a female presence (60) higher than the male one (53). The standard-bearers will be two, Bebe Vio (fencing) and Federico Morlacchi (swimming).
At the Olympic Games, 98% of the events were held behind closed doors and the few exceptions concerned only those of disciplines that took place far from the capital. So far, around 540 cases of Covid-19 have been identified in Japan among those involved (athletes, organizers and the media), most of them among local employees. Instead, 31 people linked to the Paralympic Games have tested positive so far, while other cases have been reported between teams already arrived in the archipelago to train before the Games.