The Irish Paralympic Committee has selected Narita City as its pre-competition training camp location for the 2020 Games.
The Irish Paralympic Committee and Narita City, Chiba Prefecture, signed a memorandum of understanding at Narita City Hall on May 16 to designate the city as a pre-competition training base for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The Committee had conducted site visits across Japan since 2017 to evaluate potential training locations. Narita was selected for its excellent access from Tokyo, combined with the city's proactive efforts to ensure barrier-free access to facilities like swimming pools and athletics stadiums.
Attending the signing ceremony were four representatives from the Committee, including CEO Miriam Malone and Paralympic swimming gold medalist and Performance Director David Malone, and ten representatives from Narita City, including Mayor Kazunari Koizumi and Deputy Mayors Kenji Sekine and Shoji Yoshida. Chris Greer, Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of Ireland, also attended as a guest.
Mayor Koizumi said, "The city sees the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games as an opportunity to promote sports tourism and has been actively working to attract overseas teams. Following the U.S. Olympic track and field team, we are delighted to welcome the Irish Paralympic team."
CEO Malone said, "We clearly understand that the city is making every effort to address the factors that are important to us in preparing for the pre-competition camp."
The committee visited Nakadai Sports Park and other facilities in the city in 2017 and advised the city on eliminating steps in the shower rooms of the athletics stadium, installing handrails, and eliminating steps at the entrance.
The city completed the renovations in March 2018, and the committee conducted an inspection the day before the signing ceremony.
Mr. Malone, revisiting the site, remarked, "All our recommendations have been implemented. I look forward to coming with the athletes." However, challenges remain regarding hotels, such as the width of bathroom entrances and the difficulty of securing rooms with sufficient space for wheelchairs to turn.
CEO Malone stated, "In Ireland, barrier-free access is advancing in public facilities like hotels and universities," adding, "I'm hopeful that Narita City will continue its proactive efforts toward barrier-free accessibility."
Narita City Official Website: https://www.city.narita.chiba.jp/index.html
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