The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president said on Wednesday that it was sad that Afghan athletes trapped in Kabul would not be able to compete in the Games and heartbreaking to watch a female athlete's video plea for help in reaching Tokyo.

"There are no commercial flights. We all have seen the images from the airport in Kabul. It became clear to us right from the beginning that there will be no safe way to try to bring these athletes to Tokyo," IPC President Andrew Parsons told Reuters in an interview.