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August 23, 2021The XVI Paralympic Games will open tomorrow in Tokyo (8pm local time, 1pm in Italy).
4,537 athletes representing 163 nations will take part in the event, which will end on 5 September.
To be awarded 540 medals in 22 sports.
Debut for two sports, para-taekwondo and para-badminton.
The mascot of the event is called 'Someity', a name that derives from a cherry blossom called 'Someiyoshino'.
The Paralympic symbol was placed on a floating platform, as happened during the Olympics, in the bay of Odaiba.
At the opening ceremony there will also be the flag of Afghanistan, as a "sign of solidarity" with the athletes who were unable to leave for Japan after the Taliban took control of the country. This was announced by the president of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons, speaking during the media briefing held today at the Main Press Center in Tokyo. The Afghan flag will parade in the Olympic Stadium waved by a representative of the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
Italy comes to the Paralympics with a record Italian expedition with 115 athletes (63 are women) in 15 sports. Since Rome '60, the first edition of the event, Italy had never reached such a large number of participants. Italy has several champions. On all the flag bearers Beatrice 'Bebe' Vio and Federico Morlacchi, the first fencer and the second swimmer. The blue Paralympic movement led by Luca Pancalli has implemented the new provisions at the international level, that is, to admit, in gender equality, the double standard bearer.