IPC cut down Tokyo 2020 ‘guest populations’

Image: IPC

Keeping in mind the grave COVID-19 situation in several parts of the globe, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has reduced the number of people it will accredit as guests for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The ‘International Paralympic Committee’ stated that no accreditation will be granted to any ‘Accompanying Guest’ populations for the Paralympic Games throughout all categories including the IPC, National Paralympic Committee (NPC) (responsible for organizing their people’s participation in the Paralympic Games), International Federation (IF), host Organising Committee (OCOG), future OCOGs and Broadcaster.

Accompanying guests that provide care or assistance to delegates that require support for mobility, daily living or other accessibility considerations are not impacted by this move.

The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organization and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports.

The host City’s Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) is in charge of organizing this sporting extraordinaire. When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) selects a City to stage the Games, the City and the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the host country create the OCOG which will organize the Games.

The 2020 Summer Paralympics are an upcoming major international multisport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee. Scheduled as the 16^th Summer Paralympic Games, they are scheduled to be held in Tokyo, Japan between August 24^th and September 5^th, 2021. The sporting showpiece got postponed last year as coronavirus bared its fangs on the world in March 2020.

The 2020 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, and also known as Tokyo 2020, is an upcoming international multisport event scheduled to be held from July 23^rd to August 8^th, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

The ‘International Paralympic Committee’ further stated that the above decision follows clear direction from the Japanese Government that it requires a very significant reduction in the numbers of accredited participants who do not have essential and operational responsibilities at the Games. The IPC fully respects this decision and endorses the approach to take all necessary measures to ensure safe and secure Games this summer as the world is still on thin ice due to the virus variants.

The IPC has significantly reduced the number of people it accredits under the IPC category, especially the guest populations for Tokyo 2020. To achieve this reduction, it has taken the following approach:

• No IPC Honorary Board members, with the exception of international dignitaries;
• No guests of International Organisations of the Disabled (IOSDs) or IPC Regional Organisations;
• No participants from the 14 Recognised International Sport Federations (sports that are currently not on the Paralympic program) including Presidents or Secretaries-General;
• No participants from Winter Sport International Federations, including Presidents or Secretaries General;
• No IPC Standing Committee Chair and Members, with the exception of the ones of the IPC Medical Committee and IPC Anti-Doping Committee who have operational roles at the Games;
• A significant reduction in the number of IPC Honored Guests, Distinguished Guests and IPC Guests; and
• NPC Guest Passes providing access to the Paralympic Village have been canceled.

 
In calls with IPC membership organizations at the start of April, the IPC also urged members to take a responsible approach towards their own accredited guest programs for the Games. Members will have to prioritize individuals that have an operational or essential need for the Games following the approach and leadership taken by the IPC.

All attending participants will also need to read and abide by the guiding principles of the Playbooks, the first editions of which were published in February. Updated Playbooks will be published in April offering greater information for all stakeholders planning to attend Tokyo 2020.

The above decision comes just days after it was announced that fans from outside Japan would not be allowed to attend the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to the COVID-19 situation in Japan and exploding virus variant scenario in several parts of the globe.

Around 600,000 Olympic Games tickets and 30,000 Paralympic Games tickets are to be refunded. A meeting this month is expected to decide how many domestic fans will be allowed at Olympics venues.

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• International Paralympic Committee
• IPC
• Tokyo 2020

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