The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will feature 22 sports, with badminton and taekwondo included for the first time.
At its meeting in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Saturday (31 January), the IPC Governing Board approved a further six sports for inclusion in the Games, adding to the 16 sports that were ratified and announced after its meeting in October 2014. A maximum of 23 sports could have been included for 2020.
The 22 sports that will be included in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games are: athletics, archery, badminton, boccia, canoe, cycling, equestrian, football 5-a-side, goalball, judo, powerlifting, rowing, shooting, sitting volleyball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.
Unfortunately, the two sports not included in Tokyo 2020 are football 7-a-side and sailing.
From an Irish perspective it is obviously a huge disappointment having two of Ireland’s traditionally strong Paralympic sports off the 2020 programme. Going forward, Irish athletes across both sports will continue to work hard to qualify for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games as both sports are still on the programme in Brazil.
