The flag of Afghanistan will appear at the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games as a show of ‘solidarity’

(CNN) – The flag of Afghanistan will be used as a symbol of “solidarity and peace” when the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games kick off in Japan on Tuesday.

The 16 Summer Paralympic Games, delayed a year due to the pandemic, will take place amid the worst covid-19 outbreak in Japan, with spectators excluded from most events and Tokyo and surrounding prefectures in the state of emergency due to sudden increase in cases.

Speaking on the eve of Tuesday’s opening ceremony at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons said he was determined that the Paralympic Games would take place safely.

“One of the questions that I get asked a lot is, ‘Can we have safe games?’ and the answer is yes, we would not be here if we did not believe that we can offer safe Games, “he said.

Parsons confirmed that the Afghan flag will be incorporated into the parade of the opening ceremony despite the fact that Afghan athletes withdrew from the Games due to the cancellation of flights from the country.

Kabul airport has been the center of world attention this week after the Taliban took over the capital, with thousands of people trying to flee the new regime.

“We will include the flag of Afghanistan in the ceremony as a sign of solidarity and we have invited the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees here to act as a standard bearer,” Parsons told reporters.

“It is important to highlight that it is a message of solidarity and peace that we send to the world,” he added.

“We would like to have them here, unfortunately it is not possible, but they will be here in spirit.”

The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan is seen as a threat to the nation’s sporting ambitions, and female athletes fear punishment for trying to compete.

In a statement to CNN Sport last week, the IPC said it “supported the practice of sport as a basic human right.”

“Everyone should have the possibility to practice sports and no one should be discriminated against because of their disability, gender, sexual preference, race or religion,” he added.

Covid-19 outbreak

Earlier this month, Japan said goodbye to thousands of athletes after an Olympic Games widely viewed as a success despite a litany of scandals and the backdrop of rising coronavirus cases in the country.

The hosts are now poised to host thousands more athletes as the Paralympic Games begin, scheduled to last until September 5.

There was an absence of spectators in 97% of the competitions during the Olympic Games, including at all venues in Tokyo, with capacity limitations in several other prefectures, and last week, organizers said that the Paralympic Games will also be held. held behind closed doors amid the pandemic.

Japan has reported nearly 435,000 COVID-19 cases and 577 deaths in the past 28 days, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Tokyo, the epicenter of the country’s outbreak, confirmed 2,447 new cases on Monday, 515 fewer than the same day last week. It was the first time in two days that the capital’s daily count fell below the same day the previous week.

On August 17, the Japanese government extended the state of emergency in Tokyo and other regions until September 12 as cases increased.

“The delta variant sweeping the world is causing unprecedented cases in our country,” Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said.

“Severe cases are increasing rapidly and are a serious burden on the medical system, especially in the capital region.”

It means athletes will have to compete without family and friends in the stadium, something some competitors at the Olympics said they had trouble with.

Nonetheless, Paralympic triathlete Melissa Stockwell, one of the flag bearers for Team USA, said she is eager to make the most of it.

“It was quite difficult to hear the news that family and friends would not be allowed to participate in the Games,” Stockwell told CNN.

“I had these images of running across the finish line with my husband and kids on the bench screaming, ‘Go, mommy, go!’ and that is not going to happen and that is very unfortunate.

“I think as far as my family is concerned, they are not here physically, but they are here in my mind, and I will still hear those shouts of ‘Go, mommy, go’ in my mind as I run towards that goal.”

Debut at the Paralympic Games

Despite the real threat posed by the pandemic, organizers insist they can host a safe and successful Paralympic Games, pointing to the relative success of the Olympics.

The same strict precautions will be in effect with athletes confined to small social bubbles and forced to test for COVID-19 extensively.

But fans can still get excited watching athletes compete in 22 different sports, with badminton and taekwondo making their Paralympic Games debuts.

Bhutan, Grenada, Maldives, Paraguay and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will participate in the Paralympic Games for the first time, with 162 delegations ready to compete.

There are three more nations that will compete in Tokyo than in Rio 2016, but London 2012 still holds the Paralympic record, with 164 delegations.

“It is always special to see an NPC (National Paralympic Committee) make their first appearance at the Paralympic Games,” said Parsons.

“With all the challenges created by the pandemic, seeing these NPCs as part of the opening ceremony on August 24 will be a very special and emotional moment for everyone involved.”

Refugee team

Among the competing federations will be the Paralympic Refugee Team, consisting of six athletes, one woman and five men.

The IPC says the group “represents more than 82 million people around the world who have been forced to flee from war, persecution and human rights abuses, 12 million of whom live with a disability” .

Bayern Munich soccer star Alphonso Davies wrote an open letter to the Refugee Team ahead of the competition, saying those involved were an inspiration.

“Not everyone understands the journey they have made,” wrote Davies, who was a refugee before his family moved to Canada. “But I do, and that’s an important part of what made me who I am.

“I read your stories and learned about the journeys everyone has been through. You are the bravest sports team in the world right now.

“One of the things I know about sport is its power to change lives. Everyone is now a role model with the power to inspire others. Make no mistake, what you are about to do in Tokyo will change the lives of women. persons.

“There will be young people who will dedicate themselves to sports thanks to you.”