How does classification score affect falls in wheelchair basketball? A video-based cross-sectional study on the Italian national team during the European Para Championships 2023.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of falls in male elite wheelchair basketball (WB) players and to analyse the falls characteristics considering their classification score which ranges from 1.0 to 4.5 and it is related to their functional capacity and particularly to their volume of action. DESIGN: A cross-sectional video analysis was conducted using European para championships 2023official match videos. SETTING: Players of the sample team were divided into 2 groups according to their classification point: low-point players (LPP) and high-point players (HPP). Every occurred fall was systematically analysed focusing on falling related characteristics and game circumstances. PARTICIPANTS: Twelve WB players of the Italian national team. MAIN OUTCOME: Number of falls and mechanism of falls. RESULTS: The results showed a higher number of falls for HPP and highlighted a statistically significant differences between LPP and HPP for the fall direction, the playing time and the first anatomical site in contact with the floor. CONCLUSION: Results reported significant differences between LPP and HPP in terms of mechanism of fall. Further studies should focus on the development of new preventive training strategies tailored to WB players with different levels of impairments to reduce fall related injuries.

Injuries and illness of athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic summer games visiting outside facilities.

This study aimed to identify the reasons for transferring athletes to local medical facilities during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Data on 567 injuries and other illnesses of athletes treated at the on-site clinics were collected from the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee. Of these, 84 athletes who required outpatient care during the Games were registered for this survey. During the Olympic and Paralympic Games, 66 (8.3/1 000) and 18 (7.2/1 000) athletes, respectively, consulted external medical facilities. In the Olympic Games, the reasons for these visits included 48 cases (72.7%) of injuries, 13 (19.7%) cases of illnesses, and 5 (7.6%) cases of heat stroke illness (HSI). Of these patients, 56 (84.9%) were treated as outpatients and 10 (15.1%) were hospitalized, while three of these patients required hospitalization for > 7 days. On the other hand, in the Paralympics Games, there were 7 (38.8%) cases of injuries, 9 (50.0%) other illnesses, 1 (5.6%) case of HSI, and 1 (5.6%) other cases, of which 11 (61.1%) were treated as outpatients and 7 (38.9%) were hospitalized, but none was hospitalized for > 7 days. Injuries accounted for 70% of the total cases at the 2021 Olympic Games, but only three (0.05%) were severe cases that required hospitalization for more than 1 week. In contrast, in the Paralympic Games, other illnesses accounted for approximately half of the total cases. This study provides details on the extent of injuries and other illnesses that were transferred to outside facilities, which has not been documented in previous games.

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.

El deporte paralímpico en Chile: resultados históricos de las participaciones en los juegos paralímpicos de invierno y verano / Paralympic sport in Chile: historical results of participation in summer and winter paralympic games / O esporte paralímpico no Chile: resultados históricos das participações em jogos paralímpico de inverno e verão

Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo relatar la evolución del movimiento paralímpico y su vínculo con el escenario político nacional e internacional. Los Juegos Paralímpicos de Verano hicieron su debut en 1960, mientras que Chile participó por primera vez en 1992. Por otro lado, los Juegos Paralímpicos de Invierno comenzaron en 1976, y la primera participación chilena en este evento se produjo en 2002. Para el desarrollo del estudio se utilizó un análisis documental, donde se analizaron las convocatorias oficiales de las delegaciones chilenas, junto con las planillas de resultados generales obtenidos en los Juegos Paralímpicos, se extrajo de los documentos: el número de atletas participantes de ambos sexos y deportes, información que posteriormente fue agrupada en presencia o no de medallas y tipo de medalla obtenida y, a partir de aquello, se analizó por tipo de discapacidad y año de participación. A través de los años, Chile vivenció constantes procesos y cambios en los periodos de gestión, a esto se suma la promulgación de leyes, tanto nacionales como internacionales, junto con la constante ayuda recibida de distintas agrupaciones privadas y gubernamentales, resultando en un paulatino incremento de deportistas paralímpicos, situación que colaboró en gran medida con el desarrollo integral del movimiento paralímpico chileno hasta lo que es en la actualidad; este crecimiento facilitó resultados exitosos, como el obtenido en el año 2012 con la conquista de la primera medalla paralímpica de Chile, llegando a un total de siete medallas distribuidas en cuatro deportes en los Juegos Paralímpicos Tokio 2020, quedando situado en el ranking paralímpico en la cuadragésima quinta posición.

The aim of this paper was to describe the evolution of the Paralympic movement and its connection with the national and international political scenario. The Summer Paralympic Games made their debut in 1960, while Chile first participated in 1992. On the other hand, the Winter Paralympic Games began in 1976, and Chile's first participation in this event occurred in 2002. A documentary analysis was conducted for the study, in which the official documents of the Chilean delegations were analyzed, along with the overall results obtained in the Paralympic Games. The documents provided information on the number of participating athletes of both genders, results and sports. This information was later grouped based on the presence or absence of medals and the type of medal obtained. It was further analyzed by type of disability and year of participation. Over the years, Chile experienced constant processes and changes in management, in addition to the enactment of laws, both national and international. The constant support received from various private and governmental organizations contributed to the gradual increase in paralympic athletes, which greatly facilitated the overall development of the Chilean Paralympic movement to its current state. This growth led to successful outcomes, such as Chile's 1st Paralympic medal in 2012, and the country has now achieved a total of 7 medals in 4 disciplines in Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, placing it in the 45th position in paralympic medal board.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo relatar a evolução do movimento paralímpico e sua relação com o cenário político nacional e internacional. Os Jogos Paralímpicos de Verão fizeram sua estreia em 1960, enquanto o Chile participou pela primeira vez em 1992. Por outro lado, os Jogos Paralímpicos de Inverno começaram em 1976, e a primeira participação chilena neste evento ocorreu em 2002. O estudo foi realizado através de análise documental, de onde foram extraídas informações sobre as delegações chilenas, juntamente com as planilhas de resultados gerais obtidos dos Jogos Paralímpicos. As variáveis registradas foram número de atletas participantes de ambos os sexos, modalidades e esportes. As informações posteriormente foram agrupadas em quantidade de medalhas e tipo da medalha obtida, sendo analisadas por tipo de deficiência e ano de participação. Ao longo dos anos, o Chile experimentou constantes processos e mudanças nos períodos de gestão, como a promulgação de leis, tanto nacionais como internacionais, juntamente com a ajuda constante recebida de diferentes grupos privados e governamentais, resultando em aumento de atletas paralímpicos, situação que contribuiu com o desenvolvimento integral do movimento paralímpico chileno. Este crescimento facilitou resultados exitosos, como o obtido em 2012 com a conquista da primeira medalha paralímpica do Chile, alcançando hoje um total de 7 medalhas distribuídas em 4 disciplinas em Tóquio 2022, colocando-se na quadragésima quinta posição do quadro de medalhas.

Factors Influencing the Training Process of Paralympic Women Athletes.

(1) Background: Paralympic women athletes in their training process go through a series of interrelated stages which are parallel to their evolutionary development, during which a wide variety of psychological, social, and biological factors will have an impact. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors influencing the sports training process of Spanish Paralympic women athletes (social, sporting, psychological, technical-tactical factors, physical condition, as well as barriers and facilitators) who had won at least one medal (gold, silver, or bronze) in the 21st century Paralympic Games (from Sydney 2000 to Tokyo 2020). (2) Methods: The research involved 28 Spanish Paralympic women athletes who had won at least one medal at a Paralympic Games in the 21st century. An interview of 54 questions grouped into 6 dimensions (sport context, social context, psychological, technical-tactical, physical fitness, and barriers and facilitators) was used. (3) Results: Coaches, as well as families, were essential in the sport development of Paralympic athletes. In addition, most women athletes recognized that psychological aspects were of vital importance, as well as working on technical-tactical aspects and physical fitness in an integrated way. Finally, the Paralympic women athletes highlighted that they had to face numerous barriers, mainly financial challenges and issues with visibility in the media. (4) Conclusions: Athletes consider it necessary to work with specialists to control emotions, increase motivation and self-confidence, as well as to reduce stress and anxiety and manage pressure. Finally, the training process and sporting performance of Paralympic women athletes are conditioned by several barriers, including economic, social, architectural, and disability barriers. These considerations can be taken into account by the technical teams working with Paralympic women athletes, as well as by the competent bodies, to improve the sports training process of these athletes.

A cobertura da Folha de São Paulo dos Jogos Paralímpicos entre 1972 e 2020 / The Folha de São Paulo's coverage of the Paralympic Games between 1972 and 2020 / La cobertura de Folha de São Paulo de los Juegos Paralímpicos entre 1972 y 2020

Este estudo teve como objetivo levantar algumas características da cobertura da Folha de São Paulo dos Jogos Paralímpicos (JP) entre 1972 e 2020. Os objetivos específicos foram: levantar o número de publicações relativas aos JP durante as diferentes edições; mapear a distribuição das publicações por modalidades e tipos de deficiência; levantar os números totais de medalhas conquistadas pelo país a cada edição, por modalidades e por tipos de deficiência, e contrastar estes números com as informações levantadas nos objetivos anteriores. Realizamos uma análise quantitativa e descritiva dos dados. Verificamos que número de publicações cresceu, com algumas oscilações; a deficiência física foi privilegiada nas publicações em relação aos outros tipos de deficiência; as publicações privilegiaram algumas modalidades e tipos de deficiência; e não houve uma correlação significativa entre o número total de publicações e o total de medalhas. Este trabalho oferece subsídios para uma cobertura mais qualificada do paradesporto.

This study aimed to identify some characteristics of Folha de São Paulo's coverage of the Paralympic Games (PG) between 1972 and 2020. The specific objectives were:to determine the number of publications related to the PG during different editions; to map the distribution of publications by sport and type of disability; to determine the total number of medals won by the country in each edition, by sport and by type of disability; and to compare these numbers with the information obtained in the previous objectives. The data analysis was quantitative and descriptive. The number of publications increased, with some fluctuations; physical disability was privileged in the publications compared to other types of disabilities; publications favored some sports and types of disability; and there was no significant correlation between the total number of publications and the total number of medals. This study provides support for a more qualified coverage of para sports.

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo recopilar algunas características de la cobertura de la Folha de São Paulo de los Juegos Paralímpicos (JP) entre 1972 y 2020. Los objetivos específicos fueron: recopilar el número de publicaciones relacionadas con los JP; mapear la distribución de las publicaciones por modalidades y tipos de discapacidad; recopilar los números totales de medallas conquistadas por el país en cada edición, por modalidades y por tipos de discapacidad, y contrastar estos números con la información recopilada en los objetivos anteriores. El análisis fue cuantitativo y descriptivo. El número de publicaciones aumentó, con algunas fluctuaciones; la discapacidad física fue privilegiada en las publicaciones en relación con otros tipos de discapacidad; las publicaciones privilegiaron algunas modalidades y tipos de discapacidad; y no hubo una correlación significativa entre el número total de publicaciones y el total de medallas. Este trabajo ofrece subsidios para una cobertura más calificada del paradesporto.

Prevalence, types, risk factors and intervention strategies of sport injury for Paralympic athletes: a scoping review / 中国康复理论与实践

ObjectiveTo analyze the occurrence of sport injury in Paralympic athletes during the Summer or Winter Paralympic Games, as well as the risk factors for sport injuries and possible interventions. MethodsThe literatures related to sport injuries of Paralympic athletes were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO and CNKI from January, 2013 to July, 2022, and a scoping review of the retrieved literature was performed. ResultsFinally, eight English articles from China, Sweden, South Africa, Poland and the United States were included, involving 4 769 atheletes. They included one interview study, five survey studies, one retrospective study and one prospective cohort study, which were mainly from journals in the fields of sport medicine, adaptive sport and sport science, and the publication date was mainly from 2016 to 2022. The types of disability of Paralympic athletes mainly involved physical disability (upper and lower limb amputation, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, poliomyelitis, dysplasia and neuromuscular dystrophy, central nervous system injury, myelomeningocele, etc.), intellectual disability and visual disability. The incidence of sport injury was high in Paralympic athletes, and most of the injury occured during competitions. Acute injury, chronic overuse injury and chronic to acute injury were the three most common types of injury. Sports injuries mainly involved head and neck, upper limbs (shoulders, upper arms/forearms, elbows, wrists and fingers), trunk (abdomen, back and waist), and lower limbs (hips/groin, thighs, knees, calves, ankles and toes). Risk factors for sport injuries in Paralympic athletes mainly included previous injury history, illness, fatigue and decreased physical strength, spasticity and muscle weakness; emotional states of inattention or distraction, excessive anxiety or excitement; improper exercise training methods, lack of knowledge related to sport training and injury prevention, and motor skill deficiencies; weather, competition venues, sport facilities, use of equipment and assistive devices, age factors, etc. Injuries of Paralympic athletes could be prevented by providing rehabilitation services for Paralympic athletes, optimizing training design, conducting collective training for coaches and athletes on various types of injuries, conducting research related to sport injuries of disabled athletes, formulating prevention programs and strategies, improving the physical fitness and sport skills of Paralympic athletes, improving emergency treatment techniques for injuries, and strengthening coordination and governance structures between sport medicine and rehabilitation therapists. ConclusionThe incidence of sport injury is high in Paralympic athletes. Chronic overuse injury is the most common injury type, and the injuries most involve head, neck and upper extremities. The risk factors for sport injuries of Paralympic athletes mainly involve physical function, psychological, activities and participation, environment and other factors. The main intervention strategies include providing emergency treatment intervention and monitoring services, sport medicine treatment and rehabilitation, guidance and specialized support, and health education on sport injury prevention.

Monitoring mental distress in Para athletes in preparation, during and after the Beijing Paralympic Games 2022: A 22 week prospective mixed-method study.

It is common in elite sport to monitor athletes' training load, injuries and illnesses, but mental distress is rarely included. An improved understanding of the epidemiology of mental distress among elite Para athletes and how their coaches perceive such monitoring would allow us to better develop and implement preventive measures. The purpose of this study was therefore to (1) prospectively describe elite Para athletes' mental distress, before, during and after the Beijing Paralympic Games (Paralympics Games 22 = PG22); and to (2) gain a better understanding of if and potentially how awareness of athletes' mental distress changed, through weekly monitoring, and influenced how coachers perceive athletes' mental distress and if they accounted for this before, during and after PG22. A mixed-method study design was used, in which prospective mental distress (depression and anxiety) data were collected weekly from 13 [Swedish] elite Para athletes in preparation, during and after PG22. Data were screened and evaluated weekly by a physiotherapist and a sports psychologist, and coaches also received weekly reports. A focus-group interview with the coaches were conducted post Paralympics to address coaches' awareness about mental distress and athlete health monitoring in Parasport. For data analyses, descriptive statistics was used for the quantitative data and a content analysis was conducted for the qualitative data. The results reveled the following proportion of datapoints indicating symptoms of anxiety and depression: before PG22 (15.8 and 19.1%); during PG22 (47.6 and 38.2%); and after PG22 (0 and 11.8%). The qualitative results indicated that coaches perceived athlete health monitoring as helpful for increasing their awareness of mental distress, and as a useful tool to initiate support for their athletes as well as improving their coaching. In summary, this cohort of elite Para athletes reported a high proportion of mental distress during the Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing. The results also show that it is important and feasible to monitor Para athletes' mental distress to detect and manage early symptoms of mental distress.

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.

Tokyo 2020: A Sociodemographic and Psychosocial Characterization of the Portuguese Paralympic Team.

The importance of practicing sports and its impact on the quality of life of people with disabilities is fundamental. Characterizing subjective well-being, resilience, and social influence in the practice of adapted sports, namely in those who participate in elite sport in Portugal, is truly important to support a set of initiatives to promote higher levels of practice. Thus, this study describes the Portuguese delegation at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games through sociodemographic and psychosocial (positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, resilience, and social support) variables. The study involved 31 of the 33 athletes of the Portuguese Paralympic team aged between 15 and 58 years (34.45 ± 11.7 years), with 21 men and 10 women. Individual-level sociodemographic data gave us a clear insight into the reality of adapted sport in Portugal. The high values of life satisfaction, high positive affect and low negative affect, as well as high levels of resilience and social support seem to be important variables for these athletes. The data from the present study highlighted the importance of understanding the characteristics of Paralympic athletes, in order to better understand the reality of Paralympic sport in Portugal.

Gold Medals, Silver Medals, Bronze Medals, and Total Medals: An Analysis of Summer Paralympic Games from 1992 to 2016.

The Paralympic Games (PG) are considered one of the biggest events in the world, with increasing coverage by media and participation. The present study aimed to investigate the variation in the number of gold, silver, bronze, and totals medals in the Summer PG from 1992 to 2016. Data related to the results were extracted from the International Paralympic Committee to an SPSS database. Descriptive statistics and Friedman's two-way analysis of variance by ranks were used to check the differences across medals in seven editions of the Summer PG, with the correspondent effect sizes. There was a peak in the maximum number of any type of medal between the 1996 and 2000 Summer PG and a decrease until 2008. After that, the number of any kind of medals has been increasing again. There were also significant differences with intermediate to large effect sizes when comparing more distant PG with more recent events. Several external factors can influence performance indicators (e.g., the number of medals) in a negative or positive way. An increase in the number of participants and a greater and better investment by the countries may explain part of our results. The preparation of an athlete must be based on a multidisciplinary team, and future organizing countries must take into account reports of previous events.

Lessons from the Winter Paralympic Games disclosing the epidemiology of winter sports injury in paralytic athletes: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In this study, the incidence rate of the injury in Winter Paralympic Games was summarized. Besides, to testify the underlying factors of injury incidence heterogeneity, the difference of these events incidence between different Paralympic Winter Games was investigated by meta regression analysis. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for full-text publications on sports related injury in Winter Paralympic Games. And meta-regression was used to analyze the heterogeneity. RESULTS: Four studies were included. The incidence of sports related injury was 0.21 (95% CI 0.15-0.31) in all items, 0.22 in female athletes (95% CI 0.12-0.32), and 0.21 in male athletes (95% CI 0.11-0.30), respectively. The incidence of sports related injury was 0.10 (95% CI 0.08-0.12) in alpine skiing, 0.01 (95% CI 0-0.02) in Nordic skiing, and 0.22 in sledge hockey (95% CI 0.05-0.40). Meta-regression suggested the year and the host country couldn't influence the injury incidence. CONCLUSION: The present study summarized the incidence of sports related injury in Winter Paralympic Games, indicated similar injury risk between female athletes and male athletes, and accentuated the careful protection on sledge hockey. This study pointed out that sledge hockey with the highest risk of sports related injury should draw great attention to improve the corresponding protective measures to decrease its injury probability.

Global warming and the Summer Olympic and Paralympic games: a perspective from the Tokyo 2020 Games.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games provided a significant opportunity to consider global warming as an issue to be seriously addressed to run the safe and fair games in the era of climate change. As the global temperature continuously rises and extreme hot-weather events increase in frequency and intensity, the future summer Olympic and Paralympic games will need to deal with the heat by applying thorough and appropriate countermeasures. In the recent decades, many mitigation measures to protect athletes from heat have been rapidly discussed by the sports community, including countermeasures to hold games at times and places with moderate temperature and climatic risk assessments with Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) during the games. However, the excessive heat conditions in the Tokyo 2020 Games affected not only athletes, but also all people concerned the events. While deliberate considerations by organizers had been given to mitigate extraordinary heat, the evaluations of these measures and epidemiological analyses of risk factors of patients must be further enhanced to develop efficient measures for the future. Therefore, we discussed the underlying climate-related problems of the summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in view of what we had experienced in the Tokyo 2020 Games. Facing with emerging global warming, future intervention against heat in the summer Olympic and Paralympic games will need to integrate systematic disease surveillance and evaluation of intervention with an effective combination with the approaches previously conducted. The Tokyo 2020 Games is a wake-up call to accelerate the public health measures towards the creeping global warming.

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.

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.

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.

Para atletas brasileiros(as) retratados(as) nas notícias do comitê paralímpico brasileiro: distanciamento social na pandemia de COVID-19 / Brazilian parathletes represented in brazilian paralympic committee news: social distance in the COVID-19 pandemic / 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.

Para atletas brasileiros(as) retratados(as) nas notícias do comitê paralímpico brasileiro: distanciamento social na pandemia de COVID-19 / Brazilian parathletes represented in brazilian paralympic committee news: social distance in the COVID-19 pandemic / 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 (AU).

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 (AU).

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 (AU).

Boccia in Paralympic Games: the evolution from 1984 to 2016 and future perspectives / Bocha en los Juegos Paralímpicos: la evolución de 1984 a 2016 y perspectivas futuras / Boccia nos Jogos Paralímpicos: a evolução de 1984 a 2016 e perspetivas futuras

This study aimed to analyze the participation in Boccia from 1984 to 2016 in Paralympic Games (PG) and envision future perspectives in the parasport. Data was obtained from official International Paralympic Committee webpage, from the first edition (1984) until 2016 and associated to athlete's classification, competitive format and number of played games, the number, nationality and gender of participants, and also the results. The number of athletes participating in PG has steadily increased between 1984 (19) and 2016 (106), the same was observed with relation to represented countries (1984 = 5 vs 2016 = 21) and medal countries (1984 = 5 vs 2012 and 2016 = 11). With respect to athletes' gender, an evident increase was observed, although not continuous throughout the PG editions (male 1984 = 11 vs 2016 = 73 / female 1984 = 8 vs 2016 = 33). Despite the total number of played games increased between 1984 (19) and 2016 (180), this has not been uniform, having even decreased between 2004 (252) and 2012 (161). This evidence is related to factors such as forms of qualification and competition format, that have changed over time, as well as classification system (BC4 was implement in 2004), and pairs and teams' format. It should also be highlighted that, in 1984 edition, PG were performed separating genders. Boccia is a developing parasport with several challenges, namely: i) the continuous increase in participants; ii) gender equally; iii) improvement of classification system; and iv) the competitions format to accommodate an increasing number of participants. (AU)

El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la evolución de la Bocha de 1984 a 2016 en los Juegos Paralímpicos (JP) y vislumbrar perspectivas futuras en el paradeporte. Los datos se obtuvieron de la página oficial del Comité Paralímpico Internacional, de 1984 a 2016 y asociados a la clasificación de atletas, formato competitivo y número de partidos disputados, número, nacionalidad y sexo de los participantes, así como resultados. El número de atletas que participaron en el JP aumentó de manera constante entre 1984 (19) y 2016 (106), lo mismo se observó para los países representados (1984 = 5 vs 2016 = 21) y países que ganan medallas (1984 = 5 vs 2012 y 2016 = 11). En cuanto al género, se observó un aumento evidente, aunque no continuo a lo largo de las ediciones (masculino 1984 = 11 vs 2016 = 73 / femenino 1984 = 8 vs 2016 = 33). A pesar de la cantidad total de juegos ha aumentado entre 1984 (19) y 2016 (180), este no fue uniforme, incluso disminuyó entre 2004 (252) y 2012 (161). Esta evidencia está relacionada con factores como el modelo de clasificación y el formato de la competición, que ha cambiado con el tiempo, así como el sistema de clasificación (BC4 implementado en 2004) y el formato de parejas y equipos. Cabe señalar también que, en la edición de 1984, los JP se realizaron con separación de género. La Bocha es un paradeporte en desarrollo con varios desafíos, a saber: i) el aumento continuo de participantes; ii) igualdad de género; iii) mejoría del sistema de clasificación; y iv) formato competitivo para acomodar a un número cada vez mayor de participantes. (AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a evolução do Boccia de 1984 a 2016 nos Jogos Paralímpicos (JP) e vislumbrar futuras perspetivas na modalidade paralímpica. Dados foram obtidos da página oficial do Comité Paralímpico Internacional, de 1984 até 2016 e associados à classificação dos atletas, formato competitivo e número de jogos disputados, número, nacionalidade e género dos participantes, e também resultados. O número de atletas participantes nos JP aumentou constantemente entre 1984 (19) e 2016 (106), o mesmo foi observado relativamente aos países representados (1984 = 5 vs 2016 = 21) e países medalhados (1984 = 5 vs 2012 e 2016 = 11). No que respeita ao género, um aumento evidente foi observado, embora não contínuo ao longo das edições (masculino 1984 = 11 vs 2016 = 73 / feminino 1984 = 8 vs 2016 = 33). Apesar do número total de jogos ter aumentado entre 1984 (19) e 2016 (180), este não foi uniforme, tendo mesmo diminuído entre 2004 (252) e 2012 (161). Esta evidência está relacionada com fatores como modelo de qualificação e formato da competição, que mudaram ao longo do tempo, bem como sistema de classificação (BC4 implementada em 2004) e formato de pares e equipas. De realçar ainda que, na edição de 1984, os JP foram realizados com separação de géneros. O Boccia é uma modalidade paralímpica em desenvolvimento com vários desafios, nomeadamente: i) o aumento contínuo de participantes; ii) igualdade de género; iii) melhoria do sistema de classificação; e iv) formato competitivo para acomodar um número crescente de participantes. (AU)