A spectacular firework display and the beating of drums by 80 deaf students heralded the official opening of the 21st Summer Deaflympics in Taipei on Saturday evening. The tournament, which is sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee, has opened with a ceremony in the capital, Taipei. More than four thousand hearing-impared athletes and officials from around the world are in Taiwan for the twenty-first Deaflympics. The Chinese team did not show up for the spectacular Saturday night opening of the games, the first to be staged in Asia since 1924. The Deaflympics is one of the few international sporting events to be held in Taiwan, which has been traditionally isolated internationally by relations with China. To qualify for the games, athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 decibels in their "better ear". Hearing aids, cochlear implants and the like are banned in competition, to place all athletes on the same level. The Games will be held in 22 venues, most of which located in Taipei City and Taipei County. Some events will be held in Taoyuan County and Hsinchu County, namely swimming and water polo in Hsinchu County Swimming Plaza, shooting in Taoyuan County Gongxi Shooting Range, and tennis (backup venue for rain) in National Taiwan Sport University Taoyuan campus.