NE SPORTS BUREAU
NEW DELHI, AUG 24
Just hours before the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Paralympics, flag bearer Mariyappan Thangavelu along with five other members of the Indian contingent have been put into quarantine after they came in close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19. However, none of them have tested positive since the past six days. As a precautionary step, they will remain in quarantine and Tek Chand will be the new flag bearer for India at the opening ceremony.
India’s deputy Chef de Mission to the Paralympic Games, Arhan Bagati took to Twitter to announce the development, he wrote, “Mariyappan Thangavelu our Flag Bearer, with 5 others, have been quarantined until further notice, as someone near to their seats on their flight to Tokyo tested COVID+! However, none of them have turned +ve since the past 6 days! Tek Chand will now be our Flag Bearer”
The Indian contingent is here, led by Javelin maestro Tek Chand 🙌#TeamIndia #Paralympics #UnitedByEmotion #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/hurSAzBnOA
— Olympic Khel (@OlympicKhel) August 24, 2021
In the video, India’s Chef de Mission for Tokyo Paralympics, Gursharan Singh, can be heard speaking on the change in India’s Flag Bearer for the Opening Ceremony.
India have won 12 medals, including four gold, and as many silver and bronze medals in the Summer Paralympics since its debut at the 1968 Games.
This year, India has sent its largest ever contingent with 54 Indian athletes competing across nine sports. Indian para-athletes will participate in archery,para canoeing, athletics, shooting, table tennis, swimming, badminton, powerlifting and taekwondo.
The ceremony starts at 4:30 pm IST. The opening ceremony will be telecast Live on Eurosport/HD. The Live feed from Eurosport will also be streamed on the Discovery+ app.
Mariyappan, who would be competing in the men’s high jump F42 event, is allowed to train but have specific timings. F42 category is for athletes with a leg deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement in the legs.
