COVID-19 infection risk assessment and management at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games: A scoping review.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games was one of the largest international mass-gathering events held after the beginning of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this scoping review, we extracted papers discussing COVID-19 risk assessment or management at the Tokyo 2020 Games to determine the nature of studies that were conducted. Among the 75 papers obtained from two search engines (PubMed and ScienceDirect) and four papers collected from hand-searches, 30 papers were extracted. Only eight papers performed both COVID-19 prior risk assessment and quantitative evaluation of effectiveness measures, highlighting the importance of rapid, solution-focused risk assessment. Furthermore, this review revealed that the findings regarding the spread of COVID-19 infection to citizens in the host country were inconsistent depending on the assessment methods and that assessments of the spread of infection outside the host country were lacking.

Mental health services at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games during the COVID-19 pandemic

This letter discusses the provision of mental health services at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mental health service at the polyclinic in the Olympic village was open three times a week from 10 am to 7 pm. Five board-certified psychiatrists were assigned to work in rotation, and on-call telephone support was provided during the absence of a physician on duty. Eight patients visited the polyclinic for mental health services during the Olympics. Among them, three were athletes and five, members of the team staff. During the Paralympics, two patients, both of whom were members of the team staff, visited the polyclinic for mental health services. Thus, 11 people were examined at the polyclinic throughout the Olympic and Paralympic games. All patients, except for one, met the diagnostic criteria for Adjustment Disorder. During the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, those who tested positive for COVID-19 had to follow quarantine rules which possibly took a toll on their mental health. The organizing committee of the games announced that a total of 863 athletes and officials had tested positive, of which 41 were athletes. Those who tested positive for COVID-19 were promptly quarantined at a designated isolation facility. Although holding the Olympic and Paralympic games under pandemic conditions appears unprecedented, future games may need to be held in similar circumstances. Therefore, it is critical to summarize the issues ahead of the 2022 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. While it is uncertain whether the pandemic will be under control by then, we suggest that the psychological support system for athletes and officials should be further developed and expanded. The polyclinic at the 2020 Games consisted of only psychiatrists and lacked clinical psychologists. Therefore, the importance of deploying well-trained psychologists among the policlinic staff should be emphasized. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Torch Relay Commemorative Photography × Ultra-realistic Communication Technology Kirari!

Due to the spread of COVID-19, the number of people who experienced the exhibits was less than planned. Nevertheless, we were able to deliver surprises and smiles to the participants at the venues where we could provide the experiences. We believe that these interactions with the advanced technologies of our laboratories, which are not normally accessible to the public, enabled many people to experience firsthand NTT's innovativeness. Going forward, we will continue to work on creating new experiences using ICT and connect people with each other. © 2022 Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.. All rights reserved.

When COVID-19 struck the world and elite sports: Psychological challenges and support provision in five countries during the first phase of the pandemic

The authors operated in professional roles related to preparations for Tokyo 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world. The purpose of this article is to share applied experiences and reflections from different parts of the world of psychological challenges and support strategies adopted in elite sports during the first phase of the pandemic (i.e., March to August 2020). Common themes included motivational issues, stress and anxiety, loss of routine, life-balance challenges among athletes, but also benefits of extended preparation time and recovery. Variations in support strategies and consequences from the effects of COVID-19 occurred across countries. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Brazilian parathletes represented in brazilian paralympic committee news: social distance in the COVID-19 pandemic / Para atletas brasileiros(as) retratados(as) nas notícias do comitê paralímpico brasileiro: distanciamento social na pandemia de COVID-19 / Paratletas brasileños representados en noticias del comité paralímpico brasileño: distancia social en la pandemia COVID-19

Este artigo buscou averiguar os impactos da pandemia de COVID-19 no percurso esportivo de Para atletas brasileiros(as) veiculados nas notícias do site do Comitê Paralímpico Brasileiro. Foram realizados o levantamento e a catalogação de notícias do site do Comitê Paralímpico Brasileiro e, na sequência, procedeu-se à técnica de análise temática de conteúdo das notícias. Evidenciamos os seguintes temas: incertezas quanto aos Jogos Paralímpicos 2020; saudades das relações interpessoais; aproximação com a família; aumento das interações virtuais; prática de exercícios físicos com orientações virtuais; preocupações com o peso corporal; dificuldades com o sono; falta de disposição para treinar em casa; e expectativas quanto ao retorno dos treinos presenciais. Distintas estratégias foram adotadas a fim de mitigar os impactos da pandemia no esporte paralímpico no país.

This article sought to investigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sporting route of For Brazilian athletes published in the news on the Brazilian Paralympic Committee website. A survey and cataloging of news from the website of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee were carried out and, subsequently, the technique of thematic analysis of news content was carried out. We highlight the following themes: uncertainties about the 2020 Paralympic Games; missing interpersonal relationships; closeness with the family; increase of virtual interactions; practice of physical exercises with virtual guidance; concerns about body weight; sleeping difficulties; lack of willingness to train at home; expectations about the return of in-person training. Different strategies were adopted in order to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic to Paralympic sports in the country.

Este artículo buscó investigar los impactos de la pandemia COVID-19 en la ruta deportiva de los deportistas brasileños publicados en las noticias del sitio web del Comité Paralímpico Brasileño. Se realizó un relevamiento y catalogación de noticias de la página web del Comité Paralímpico Brasileño y, posteriormente, se llevó a cabo la técnica de análisis temático de contenido informativo. Destacamos los siguientes temas: incertidumbres sobre los Juegos Paralímpicos 2020; falta de relaciones interpersonales; cercanía con la familia; aumento de interacciones virtuales; práctica de ejercicios físicos con guía virtual; preocupación por el peso corporal; dificultades con el sueño; falta de voluntad para entrenar en casa; expectativas sobre el regreso del entrenamiento presencial. Se adoptaron diferentes estrategias para mitigar el impacto de la pandemia en el deporte paralímpico del país.

Cross-Border Transmissions of the Delta Substrain AY.29 During Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, postponed for the COVID-19 pandemic, were finally held in the summer of 2021. Just before the games, the Alpha variant was being replaced with the more contagious Delta variant. AY.4 substrain AY.29, which harbors two additional characteristic mutations of 5239C > T (NSP3 Y840Y) and 5514T > C (NSP3 V932A), emerged in Japan and became dominant in Tokyo by the time of the Olympic Games. Variants of SARS-CoV-2 genomes were performed to extract AY.29 Delta substrain samples with 5239C > T and 5514T > C. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to illustrate how AY.29 strains evolved and were introduced into countries abroad. Simultaneously, ancestral searches were performed for the overseas AY.29 samples to identify their origins in Japan using the maximum variant approach. As of January 10, 2022, 118 samples were identified in 20 countries. Phylogenetic analysis and ancestral searches identified 55 distinct introductions into those countries. The United States had 50 samples with 10 distinct introductions, and the United Kingdom had 13 distinct strains introduced in 18 samples. Other countries or regions with multiple introductions were Canada, Germany, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the Philippines. Among the 20 countries, most European and North American countries have vaccination rates over 50% and sufficient genomic surveillances are conducted; transmissions seem contained. However, propagation to unvaccinated regions might have caused unfathomable damages. Since samples in those unvaccinated countries are also undersampled with a longer lead time for data sharing, it will take longer to grasp the whole picture. More rigorous departure screenings for the participants from the unvaccinated countries might have been necessary.

Peculiar COVID-19 effects in the Greater Tokyo Area revealed by spatiotemporal variabilities of tropospheric gases and light-absorbing aerosols

This study investigated the spatiotemporal variabilities in nitrogen dioxide (NO2), formaldehyde (HCHO), ozone (O3), and light-absorbing aerosols within the Greater Tokyo Area, Japan, which is the most populous metropolitan area in the world. The analysis is based on total tropospheric column, partial tropospheric column (within the boundary layer), and in situ observations retrieved from multiple platforms as well as additional information obtained from reanalysis and box model simulations. This study mainly covers the 2013–2020 period, focusing on 2020 when air quality was influenced by the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Although total and partial tropospheric NO2 columns were reduced by an average of about 10 % in 2020, reductions exceeding 40 % occurred in some areas during the pandemic state of emergency. Light-absorbing aerosol levels within the boundary layer were also reduced for most of 2020, while smaller fluctuations in HCHO and O3 were observed. The significantly enhanced degree of weekly cycling of NO2, HCHO, and light-absorbing aerosol found in urban areas during 2020 suggests that, in contrast to other countries, mobility in Japan also dropped on weekends. We conclude that, despite the lack of strict mobility restrictions in Japan, widespread adherence to recommendations designed to limit the COVID-19 spread resulted in unique air quality improvements.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: impacts of COVID-19 and digital transformation

The Olympic Games have been responsible for moving billions of dollars in direct and indirect investments during their winter and summer editions in the host cities, thus leaving tangible and intangible legacies that, if well used, can promote significant changes in the daily lives of societies. For the first time in the modern era of the Olympic Games, at the beginning of 2020, this cycle had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic that had killed more than 4 million people worldwide by July 2021. The teaching case puts the reader in the role of Hiroto Nakami, then President of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, to solve operational barriers and make it possible to create a successful digital Olympic Games model. It will be necessary to evaluate the financial and technological limitations in order to assess the impacts and legacies from these actions for the event and the local business environment. The case is suitable for multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate students interested in discussing themes and concepts related to the area of strategic planning, crisis management, mega-events, and digital transformation.Alternate :Os Jogos Olímpicos têm sido responsáveis por movimentar, ao longo das suas edições de inverno e verão, bilhões de dólares em investimentos diretos e indiretos nas cidades sede por onde passam, deixando assim legados tangíveis e intangíveis que, se bem aproveitados, podem promover significativas transformações no cotidiano das sociedades. Pela primeira vez na era moderna dos Jogos Olímpicos, no inicio de 2020, esse ciclo teve que ser adiado por conta da Pandemia da COVID-19 que deixou, até julho de 2021 mais de 4 milhões de mortos no mundo. O caso coloca o leitor no papel de Hiroto Nakami, então Presidente do Comitê Organizador dos Jogos Olímpicos de Tóquio 2020, para resolver os entraves operacionais e possibilitar a criação de um modelo de Jogos Olímpicos digitais de sucesso, aínda que a portas fechadas. Para tal, será necessario avaliar os limitadores financeiros e tecnológicos, de forma a avaliar os impactos e legados dessas ações para o evento e o ambiente de negócios locais. O caso é indicado para estudantes de cursos de graduação e pós-graduaęão multidisciplinares interessados em discutir temas e conceitos ligados à área de planejamento estratégico, gestão de crises, grandes eventos, e transformação digital.Alternate :Los Juegos Olímpicos han sido responsables de mover miles de millones de dólares en inversiones directas e indirectas durante sus ediciones de invierno y verano en sus ciudades sede, dejando así legados tangibles e intangibles que, bien aprovechados, pueden promover cambios significativos en el la vida cotidiana de las sociedades. Por primera vez en la era moderna de los Juegos Olímpicos, a principios de 2020, este ciclo tuvo que ser pospuesto debido a la pandemia de COVID-19 que dejó más de 4 millones de muertos en el mundo hasta julio de 2021. El caso pone al lector en el papel de Hiroto Nakami, entonces presidente del Comité Organizador de Tokio 2020, para sortear las barreras operativas y hacer posible la creación de un exitoso modelo de Juegos Olímpicos digitales aunque a puerta cerrada. Para ello, será necesario sopesar las limitaciones financieras y tecnológicas con el fin de evaluar los impactos y legados de esas acciones para el evento y el entorno empresarial local. El caso es apto para estudiantes de cursos multidisciplinarios de grado y posgrado interesados en discutir temas y conceptos relacionados con las áreas de planificación estratégica, gestión de crisis, megaeventos y transformación digital.

Activities of medical centers for athletes and spectators at cycling track events in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

AIM: We focused on the preparation and activities of clinics for spectators and athletes in the Izu Velodrome in Shizuoka Prefecture, which was managed by the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (TOC). METHODS: Two medical clinics were established for the track cycling competition: one for Olympians and their associates, and one for spectators, TOC-related individuals, and volunteers. Each medical clinic had two separate buildings. One was for individuals with suspected coronavirus disease (COVID-19); the other was for individuals who were deemed unlikely to have COVID-19. RESULTS: During the Olympics, five Olympians and one umpire were transported to a designated hospital. All of them had fall-related injuries. Nine patients visited the clinic for spectators, and six of the nine were volunteers. Two volunteers showed side-effects in association with COVID-19 vaccination. Five of the nine patients had outdoor-related disease. During the Paralympics Games, no Olympians visited the clinic, and three volunteers were treated at the clinic for spectators. All had outdoor-related diseases and returned to work after treatment. There were no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among individuals who attended the Olympic cycling track during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed the results of activities of the two clinics for the Olympics and Paralympics. Both medical clinics were necessary for the safe operation of the Olympics and Paralympics.

Experiences of Olympic Hopefuls of the Disruption of the Olympic Cycle at Tokyo 2020

Lockdown due to COVID-19 and the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games meant Olympic hopefuls experienced an uncertain and changing Olympic cycle. This paper describes the experiences of high-level and high-performance athletes amidst the disruption of the Olympic cycle caused by the concurrent non-normative transitions of coronavirus lockdown and the postponement of the Olympic Games. Twentyfive athletes (14 females and 11 males;age M = 26.2, SD = 6.99) were interviewed via videoconference during the eighth week of confinement. An inductive reflexive thematic analysis was carried out to organise the results into four thematic axes: (a) pre-confinement, (b) confinement, (c) post-confinement and (d) Tokyo 2020 + 1. The announcement of the postponement of the Olympic Games was recognised as a milestone that changed the lockdown experience, transforming the perception of lockdown as a threat into an opportunity. While the transitions were experienced in a variety of ways, the presence of sport identity psychological resources (i.e., frustration tolerance and resilience), the development of extra-sport identities (i.e., dual careers) and sport lifestyle (e.g., experiences at meets) are highlighted as facilitating factors in coping with and managing these concurrent transitions. The results obtained can help sports psychology professionals and others in the field to aid athletes in coping with the disruption of the Olympic cycle, as well as in coping with other unexpected situations.

BASEM special issue: the calm after a storm

The overarching BASEM Annual conference 2022 theme is Elite, Olympic and Paralympic Sport and Exercise in Medicine and Health, with conference straplines of ‘Hot topics and lessons from the Tokyo Olympics during a universal crisis, health impact of a lifetime in elite Paralympic and Olympic sport, and the national and European initiatives in physical activity promotion and exercise prescription.’ A consensus statement by Jones et al reinforces the understanding that the benefits of physical activity outweigh any risks in people living with long-term conditions (see page 425) . [...]a couple of articles consider several important issues related to equity, diversity and inclusion in sport, an area in which there are initiatives to improve representation by both BASEM and the BJSM.

COVID-19 Test Before Tokyo2020 Paralympic Games: An Implemented Protocol to Protect Paralympic Athletes.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic represents a difficult challenge for the whole of humanity. Sports, in which contact between athletes is essential, became impossible to practice without the risk of viral spread. Athletes of the national teams are a particular subgroup of the population for whom there is an important need for protection and the implementation of targeted preventive measures. The present report describes the protocol that was developed to answer the urgent protection need for athletes during COVID-19 pandemic. The protocol aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of a rigid prevention intervention to prevent outbreaks and infections in terms of COVID-19 as well as in other potential future pandemics from pathogens with similar path of transmission. METHODS: The study was conducted in rowing para-thletes training of the Paralympic Games in Tokyo2020. It was designed to create an anti-COVID-19 "protection bubble" with the aim to isolate para-athletes and their technical support team during pre-Olympic retreats. The "bubble" development relied on a carefully conducted protocol of repeated antigen and molecular COVID-19 tests on nasal and oropharyngeal fluids among all participants carried out before, during and at the end of each retreat. RESULTS: During the 10 months of protocol implementation there were no COVID-19 outbreaks among the para-athletes and technical personnel during the retreats. In total, 552 PCR tests and 298 antigen-based tests were performed for an average number of 42 test per athlete. The number of retreat participants was larger (n = 23) in the beginning of the year due to the Paralympic selection rounds and smaller at the end of the study period (n = 12). CONCLUSION: The protocol has indicated that it is possible to implement an anti-COVID-19 protection protocol where athletes and technical staff can train and compete in safe conditions. The study showed that it is feasible to implement a rigid prevention protocol for athletes and technical staff based on repeated COVID-19 antigenic and molecular tests for a long period of training with excellent participation and compliance.

Guest editorial

[...]I am even more proud than usual to have managed to put together this special issue with five very interesting and high-quality papers. [...]the special issue closes with an article on the social side of sports, a literature review on the accessibility of sport stadia for people with disabilities. [...]I thank all the contributors whether as authors, reviewers, SIG officers or loyal members and friends of the Managing Sport SIG for their participation and support.

Mental health services at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games during the COVID-19 pandemic

This letter discusses the provision of mental health services at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mental health service at the polyclinic in the Olympic village was open three times a week from 10 am to 7 pm. Five board-certified psychiatrists were assigned to work in rotation, and on-call telephone support was provided during the absence of a physician on duty. Eight patients visited the polyclinic for mental health services during the Olympics. Among them, three were athletes and five, members of the team staff. During the Paralympics, two patients, both of whom were members of the team staff, visited the polyclinic for mental health services. Thus, 11 people were examined at the polyclinic throughout the Olympic and Paralympic games. All patients, except for one, met the diagnostic criteria for Adjustment Disorder. During the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, those who tested positive for COVID-19 had to follow quarantine rules which possibly took a toll on their mental health. The organizing committee of the games announced that a total of 863 athletes and officials had tested positive, of which 41 were athletes. Those who tested positive for COVID-19 were promptly quarantined at a designated isolation facility. Although holding the Olympic and Paralympic games under pandemic conditions appears unprecedented, future games may need to be held in similar circumstances. Therefore, it is critical to summarize the issues ahead of the 2022 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. While it is uncertain whether the pandemic will be under control by then, we suggest that the psychological support system for athletes and officials should be further developed and expanded. The polyclinic at the 2020 Games consisted of only psychiatrists and lacked clinical psychologists. Therefore, the importance of deploying well-trained psychologists among the policlinic staff should be emphasized. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Japan in 2021: COVID-19 (Again), the Olympics, and a New Administration

For Japan in 2021, COVID-19-related disruption was again the dominant storyline. Its impact transcended societal consequences to affect Japan’s economy, politics, and foreign affairs. It frustrated Japan’s economic recovery and, for the second time in as many years, contributed to a prime minister’s premature resignation. Yet the year also witnessed major positive developments, including the “2020” Tokyo Olympics/Paralympics;an (eventually) successful vaccine rollout;public health outcomes vastly better than those of any other G7 member;an expected return to economic growth;and a smooth national election. On October 31, new prime minister Kishida Fumio led the ruling LDP–Komeito coalition into Japan’s first general election since 2017. Despite losing a few seats, it retained a comfortable lower-house majority, ensuring that a subplot for Japan in 2021 was—again—relative continuity in national politics and foreign affairs.

Causal Effect of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the Number of COVID-19 Cases under COVID-19 Pandemic: An Ecological Study Using the Synthetic Control Method.

Previous studies have not assessed the causal effect of the Olympic Games on the spread of pandemics. Using the synthetic control method and the national public city data in Japan recorded from February to September 2021, we estimated the causal effects of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. The difference between the number of COVID-19 cases in Tokyo and a counterfactual "synthetic Tokyo" (created using synthetic control method) after the opening of the Tokyo 2020 Games (23 July 2021) widened gradually and then considerably over time. It was predicted that the Tokyo 2020 Games increased the number of COVID-19 cases in Tokyo by approximately 469.4 per 100,000 population from the opening of the event to 30 September. However, sensitivity analysis of the ratio of the pre- and post-game root mean square prediction errors using regression weights did not suggest robustness. Our results showed that the Tokyo 2020 Games probably increased the number of COVID-19 cases even under preventive regulations; however, the extent of this increase was difficult to estimate clearly due to an overlap with the fifth wave associated with the Delta variant.

Sports Business Resilience in the COVID-19 Crisis: The Delphi Qualitative Approach

The present study attempts to evaluate the challenges of sports businesses in the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and introduce their resilience solutions. This research was qualitative, with the Delphi method used to conduct it. In the first phase, 9 challenges and 88 business resilience strategies were extracted in the form of a questionnaire. In the second phase, these challenges and strategies were provided to the Delphi panel consisting of 18 professors of sports management and sports business managers, who were selected in a purposeful manner through snowball sampling method. Finally, 11 challenges in the two categories of supply side challenges and demand side challenges were identified. In addition, 94 sports business resilience strategies for COVID and post-COVID eras were identified in four categories, namely marketing mix management, process management, organizational resource management, and strategic action management. These operational strategies can save sports businesses from the risk of bankruptcy and exclusion from the sports ecosystem and strengthen these firms for future crises by increasing their resilience.

COVID-19 risk assessment at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The 2020 Olympic/Paralympic Games have been postponed to 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We developed a model that integrated source-environment-receptor pathways to evaluate how preventive efforts can reduce the infection risk among spectators at the opening ceremony of Tokyo Olympic Games. We simulated viral loads of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emitted from infectors through talking/coughing/sneezing and modeled temporal environmental behaviors, including virus inactivation and transfer. We performed Monte Carlo simulations to estimate the expected number of newly infected individuals with and without preventive measures, yielding the crude probability of a spectator being an infector among the 60,000 people expected to attend the opening ceremony. Two indicators, i.e., the expected number of newly infected individuals and the newly infected individuals per infector entry, were proposed to demonstrate the extent of achievable infection risk reduction levels by implementing possible preventive measures. A no-prevention scenario produced 1.5-1.7 newly infected individuals per infector entry, whereas a combination of cooperative preventive measures by organizers and the spectators achieved a 99% risk reduction, corresponding to 0.009-0.012 newly infected individuals per infector entry. The expected number of newly infected individuals was calculated as 0.005 for the combination of cooperative preventive scenarios with the crude probability of a spectator being an infector of 1 × 10-5. Based on our estimates, a combination of cooperative preventions between organizers and spectators is required to prevent a viral spread at the Tokyo Olympic/Paralympic Games. Further, under the assumption that society accepts < 10 newly infected persons traced to events held during the entire Olympic/Paralympic Games, we propose a crude probability of infectors of < 5 × 10-5 as a benchmark for the suppression of the infection. This is the first study to develop a model that can assess the infection risk among spectators due to exposure pathways at a mass gathering event.

U.S. Paralympic Hopeful's Athletic Identity and How It Has Been Affected by the Sport Disruption of COVID-19.

The purpose of this study was to explore the status of Paralympic hopefuls' athletic identity and how this identity was impacted by the training and competition cessation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews that explored the experiences of 29 Paralympic hopefuls who compete in thirteen different Paralympic sports. A thematic analysis yielded two superordinate themes: a) Prominent athletic identity, multiplicity over exclusivity; b) Various Impact on AI: Mental adaptation helps overcome the lack of sport participation. Participants in this study possessed prominent strong athletic identities from the benefits of sport participation. Their prioritized athletic role still remains despite setbacks due to the pandemic. However, athletes identified with multiple roles rather than an exclusive athletic identity during COVID-19. As for the impacts on identity, the severity of challenges are determined by the mindset of the athletes. All of the athletes experienced a decreased amount of time and physical participation in their sport. Paralympians whose sole focus was on the loss of physical participation were impacted the most. Athletes who felt unchallenged did so because of their mental adaptation. Through a positive outlook and mentality, athletes were able to effectively cope and not dwell on the negative aspects brought on by the pandemic. In conclusion, having a strong AI did not necessarily coincide with a negative impact on identity from COVID-19, and those who do not possess a strong AI felt their AI was unchallenged by the pandemic. More importantly, Paralympians' mindset of how they view and interpret their AI is crucial to how the individual's AI is affected by the sport disruption of COVID-19.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on athletes with disabilities preparing for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of the study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on athletes preparing for the Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games during 1 month of lockdown in Poland. The study involved 166 athletes (106 male, 66 female), members of either the Polish Paralympic Committee or the Polish Sports Association for the Disabled'Start', two organizations responsible for managing and regulating sports played by persons with disabilities in Poland. RESULTS: Athletes with disabilities have been strongly affected by the pandemic and the resultant lockdown. The majority of respondents reported that they trained at home (88.6%), whereas 60.2% of athletes trained outdoors, and 12% suspended their training regimens altogether. Only 5.4% of athletes had some access to sport facilities. The athletes reduced their weekly training time by almost half (9.4 h/week vs. 5.3 h/week), a statistically significant difference (t = 16.261, p < 0.001).