Issued on: 24/08/2021 - 05:50
Tokyo (AFP)
New Zealand's Paralympic team said it will not attend Tuesday's opening ceremony in Tokyo over coronavirus safety fears, as infections surge in the Japanese capital.
Organisers have reported 161 Covid-19 cases linked to the Paralympics so far, mostly among staff and contractors living in Japan but also including six athletes.
Paralympics New Zealand said its athletes would not take part in the opening ceremony, where two flagbearers usually lead teammates into the Olympic Stadium.
"Our team will not be attending as we continue our commitment to our Covid-19 Operating Principles and Guidelines, aimed at keeping our team as safe as possible," it said in a statement.
Instead of appointing flagbearers, two athletes will be given symbolic "leadership roles".
Throughout the pandemic, New Zealand has pursued a "Covid zero" elimination strategy, resulting in just 26 deaths in a population of five million.
But a national lockdown is currently in place to curb the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, after a virus cluster broke a six-month run of no local cases.
New Zealand is the only one of the 162 Paralympic delegations that has confirmed it will skip the evening ceremony, International Paralympic Committee spokesman Craig Spence told reporters on Tuesday.
"We've got to respect the decision," he said, adding that team chief Fiona Allan had told him that despite strict virus countermeasures, they wanted to be "super safe".
There are 32 Paralympians on the New Zealand team, according to Tokyo 2020.
Some other countries and territories have reduced the number of representatives at the ceremony for various reasons including Covid-19 and heat concerns, Spence said.
"We appreciate that the march is going to be a little shorter, there's going to be less athletes compared to normal Games.
"That's a shame, but we respect the decision and actually, it probably speeds up the ceremony."
Japan's virus situation has worsened dramatically in the weeks since the July 23 Olympic opening ceremony, with the country recording more than 25,000 daily infections several times in the past week.
2021 AFP
Read the original post:
New Zealand to skip Paralympic opening ceremony over virus fears - FRANCE 24
- New Zealand-shaped front brings heavy rain, wild winds, and flood risk - Stuff.co.nz - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- If Aldi's not coming to New Zealand, who will shake up our supermarkets? - Stuff.co.nz - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- What dairy farming is doing to NZ's water - RNZ - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- New Zealand likely to have 'record high imports' of coal in 2021 - officials - RNZ - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- 'Aotearoa New Zealand': What if it went to a vote? - Stuff.co.nz - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- This is New Zealand's best pie - and for the first time in awards history, a woman baked it - Stuff.co.nz - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- The best New Zealand airport to fly into, according to Air New Zealand's chief pilot - Stuff.co.nz - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- Air New Zealand 'willing and able' to increase flights from Australia - RNZ - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- Tokyo Olympics: New Zealand go two from two on opening day of men's sevens - Stuff.co.nz - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- Tokyo Olympics 2020: Live updates - New Zealand athletes and events in action, how to watch in NZ, live streaming - New Zealand Herald - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- Covid-19: The cost of keeping New Zealand safe - Stuff.co.nz - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- Winston Reid's New Zealand edged out by Honduras in Olympics - West Ham United F.C. - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- New Zealand is not the world's post-Covid future - Stuff.co.nz - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- Where to Survive the End of the World? Head to New Zealand - The Daily Beast - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- Karate New Zealand - HOME - July 31st, 2021 [July 31st, 2021]
- Rugby: Resolution found? All Blacks set to leave New Zealand next week - New Zealand Herald - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- 13yo becomes one of New Zealand's youngest COVID-19 vaccine recipients at drive-through vaccination centre - Newshub - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Coronavirus: New Zealand needs high uptake of vaccine to mitigate cases, hospitalisations, deaths once borders reopen - study - Newshub - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Tiny New Zealand airport that tells Mori love story in running for global design award - The Guardian - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Opinion: Stop putting a spin on New Zealand's vaccination numbers, we are woefully behind - Newshub - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- New Zealand was set to be the first advanced economy to hike rates. One Covid case put a stop to it - CNBC - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Lockdowns or vaccines? Japan, New Zealand and Australia try diverging paths - CHEK - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- In New Zealand it has been easy to forget Covid. Now we are too complacent - The Guardian - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Australia-New Zealand rugby relations have sunk to a new low. It will take time to regain trust - The Guardian - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Who is New Zealand?: the moment Tampa refugees were told some had a new home - The Guardian - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Is living in Australia really better than New Zealand? - Stuff - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Car pollution kills thousands in New Zealand every year - 1News - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Matt Williams: Irish side must find way to play best rugby of their lives if New Zealand are to be beaten - The Irish Times - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Ireland rugby tour of New Zealand 2022: When is it, how many fixtures are planned, and how to watch - The Telegraph - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- UK and New Zealand govt advise citizens against non-essential travel to Sri Lanka - Times of India - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- New Zealand Baha'is concerned for nephew imprisoned in Iran - Stuff - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Over 100 Moriori ancestral remains returned to New Zealand in biggest repatriation yet - Newshub - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- PM meeting with Prime Minister of New Zealand: 1 July 2022 - GOV.UK - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Air New Zealand hiring hundreds of staff to avoid travel chaos hitting airlines and airports overseas - New Zealand Herald - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- NZ-Australia relationship appears to be on the way up under the Albanese government - Stuff - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- New Zealand's chocolate exports grow by 40% in three years - 1News - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Community Scoop Youth-Led New Zealand Immigration Webinar Welcomed By Community - Scoop - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Australia begins bilateral talks with New Zealand on treaty and reconciliation with First Nations people - ABC News - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Navy frigate returns to New Zealand after major upgrade in Canada - RNZ - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- The 50 greatest New Zealand logos, ranked - The Spinoff - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- New Zealand Wants to Tax Cow Burps and Farts - Modern Farmer - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- New Zealand's Major Grower-Owned Co-Operative is Assuming a Refreshed Logo and Identity - PerishableNews - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Government rejects Samoan deportee's bid to stay in New Zealand - New Zealand Herald - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- New Zealand to embark on worlds largest feral predator eradication - The Guardian - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- A new Omicron wave is upon New Zealand, with older people now most at risk heres what to expect - The Conversation - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Reports of fireball over New Zealand in what scientists think was rare daytime meteor - The Guardian - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Ireland Team To Face New Zealand In 2nd Test - Munster Rugby - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- New Zealand FMA appoints Margot Gatland as Head of Enforcement - FinanceFeeds - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- ACT proposing to fine parents of truant children to tackle New Zealand's 'shocking' attendance rates - Newshub - November 28th, 2022 [November 28th, 2022]
- Air New Zealand Limited (NZSE:AIR) insiders have profited after buying stock worth NZ$3.8m last year, current gains stand at NZ$737k - Simply Wall St - December 30th, 2022 [December 30th, 2022]
- Watch: Shardul Thakur's Last-Over Yorker That Sealed India's Win vs New Zealand In 1st ODI - NDTV Sports - January 23rd, 2023 [January 23rd, 2023]
- Cost of living: New Zealand food prices grow 11.3 percent, biggest increase in more than three decades - Newshub - January 23rd, 2023 [January 23rd, 2023]
- New Zealand | History, Map, Flag, Capital, Population, & Facts - January 23rd, 2023 [January 23rd, 2023]
- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to resign - January 23rd, 2023 [January 23rd, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern resigns as prime minister of New Zealand - January 23rd, 2023 [January 23rd, 2023]
- Welcome to New Zealand | Official site for Tourism New Zealand - January 23rd, 2023 [January 23rd, 2023]
- This New Zealand Clothing Line Has Just Released a Range Dedicated to Pizza Hut's Hawaiian Pizza - Concrete Playground Brisbane - January 31st, 2023 [January 31st, 2023]
- New Zealand-bound plane flies 13 hours only to land where it took off - Fox Business - January 31st, 2023 [January 31st, 2023]
- New Zealand's biggest city braces for more heavy rains after deadly floods - CNN - January 31st, 2023 [January 31st, 2023]
- New Zealand Maps & Facts - World Atlas - January 31st, 2023 [January 31st, 2023]