International Paralympic Committee President, Andrew Parsons “strongly” supports children watching Games as maximum of 140,000 may attend

From NHK

August 19 2021

TOKYO – According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education, the number of children watching the competition at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo is expected to reach a maximum of about 140,000 as of August 18th.

According to the city’s board of education, as of the 18th, about 132,000 public schools have indicated their intention to participate.
The breakdown is about 130,000 in 8 municipalities out of 62 wards, cities, towns and villages in Tokyo, and about 2000 in 23 schools such as special schools and high schools in Tokyo.

The Tokyo Board of Education is still coordinating and has not disclosed the names of schools that it hopes to attend because it may change in the future.
In addition, the city explained that the number of children desired at private schools is less than 10,000, and the participation of the entire city is expected to be up to about 140,000 for both public and private schools.

Regarding the policy of children watching the games at the venue with the Tokyo Paralympic Games, Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee, said, “I strongly support the watching program that allows children to experience the Paralympics. At the same time, the school I think the most important thing is how to ensure the safety of the children who come to the Games. When they come to the venue in a well-protected manner and return, they take every possible measure to risk infection. It’s very important to keep it down. “

Before the Tokyo Games were postponed, about 900,000 children were scheduled to watch the competition at the Olympic and Paralympic venues in Tokyo.

Of these, the number of people who originally planned to see the Paralympics was not disclosed by the capital, but Parsons explained that “it will be significantly less than the plan before the postponement.”

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education and others are rushing to determine the exact number of people, but as the infection spreads rapidly, there is a possibility that schools and children who wish to participate at the discretion of the school and parents will cancel it on the day. about it.
With the opening of the Paralympics approaching five days later, it is still unclear how big it will be in the end.

The Tokyo Board of Education and others will coordinate the places to get on and off around the competition venue and guide them to the venue as support for schools that use chartered buses to avoid the risk of children getting infected.

Children who do not go to the venue will be provided with a separate opportunity to work on issues related to the Olympics and Paralympics.