The international ball game and blind soccer tournament held at the Tokyo Paralympics began on the 30th in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo.
This is the first time that an international competition for parasports has been held in Japan since the Tokyo Paralympics were postponed due to the influence of the new coronavirus.
In blind soccer played by five players, all four players, excluding the goalkeeper, are visually impaired players, wear eye masks, and play by relying on the sound of the ball with bells and the voice of the guide's instructions.
The international tournament, which began on the 30th in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, is held without spectators, and in addition to Japan, five teams from France, Thailand, Spain, and Argentina, who have decided to participate in the Tokyo Paralympics, are participating.
According to the Japan Blind Football Association, this is the first time that an international competition for parasports has been held in Japan since the Tokyo Paralympics were postponed.
For this reason, the association is more thorough in infection control than in regular competitions, and the fences and goal posts beside the ground, which players often touch when playing or moving, are carefully disinfected during half-time and between games, and at the venue. It means that the areas and flow lines that players and management staff can enter are completely separated.
After the league match, the top two teams will advance to the final, and the 3rd and 4th places will advance to the 3rd place playoff.
In the first league match on the 30th, Japan, which ranked 12th in the world ranking, played against France, which ranked 14th in the world, and immediately after the start of the match, when captain Ryo Kawamura scored the first goal, he defended the lead and won 1-0. The match at the international tournament, which was the first time in about 1 year and 7 months, was decorated with white stars.
The tournament will be held until the 5th of next month.