Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizers said Wednesday that a Paralympic Boccia test event will be held without athletes due to concerns over the current coronavirus outbreak.

The event, originally scheduled as the Japan Para Championships Boccia and set to start on Friday at Ariake Gymnastics Centre, was postponed on Feb. 20. Instead, a smaller number of domestic athletes were expected to participate in a test.

(File photo shows boccia athlete Masayuki Arita.)

Under the new plan, officials from the organizing committee and the sport's national federation will assume the role of wheelchair-bound athletes in a test of the tournament's operations and systems.

The test will take place on Saturday and Sunday and will be closed to spectators and the media.

Olympic organizers are also looking into downsizing a sports climbing test event slated for March 6 to 8 at Aomi Urban Sports Park near the Tokyo bayside.

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