There were supposed to be a record number of Para athletes (around 700) competing in the Winter Paralympics in Beijing.
But the day before the Opening Ceremony, the focus was on the 83 who would not be competing.
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Winter Paralympics Set To Get Underway In Beijing Following Exclusion Of Russia And Belarus
That’s after the IPC reversed course and said it would no longer allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Games as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Even though Russian and Belarusian athletes were planning to compete as neutrals.
The IPC claimed that backlash from teams and athletes preparing to compete in Beijing was “jeopardising the viability” of the Games and making the safety of athletes “untenable.”
Amidst this setting, the Winter Paralympics will kick off on Saturday with the first events beginning with a ceremony on Friday.
A total of 78 events in alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, para ice hockey, snowboarding.
And wheelchair curling will be showcased at the competition, which runs from March 7 through March 13.
The three areas of central Beijing, Yanqing, and Zhangjiakou will again be used as they were during the Winter Olympics last month.
Opening Ceremony: Call for Peace as Ukraine’s Presence Keenly Felt at Winter Paralympics
On Friday, the opening ceremony for the 2022 Winter Paralympics was held in Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium. The entire Ukrainian delegation was present.
Valeriy Sushkevych, president of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, called it a “miracle” that all of Ukraine’s Para athletes.
Made it to Beijing for the Games, and Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, showed his support for them (IPC).
Parsons delivered a sombre speech in which he called for global peace and expressed his dismay at ongoing conflicts without directly naming Ukraine or Russia.
As Parsons put it, “Tonight, I want – I must” start with a message of peace.
“As the head of a company that places a premium on valuing and celebrating diversity and accepting individual differences, I am appalled by the state of the world today.
The 21st century is supposed to be a time of peace and understanding, not fighting and antagonism.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had far-reaching effects on the sports industry, with numerous governing bodies imposing sanctions on Russia and its athletes.
Conclusion
Beijing 2022 (Chinese: 2022), also known as the Winter Paralympics, was a multi-sport winter international parasports event held in Beijing, China from March 4-13, 2022.
The International Paralympic Committee hosted the 13th Winter Paralympic Games (IPC). Thanks for reading our article Winter Paralympics Set To Get Underway In Beijing Following Exclusion Of Russia And Belarus.
